DUKE  UNIVERSITY 


LIBRARY 


The  Glenn  Negley  Collection 
of  Utopian  Literature 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2010  with  funding  from 
Duke  University  Libraries 


http://www.archive.org/details/lettherebelightsOOIubi 


LET  THERE  BE  LIGHT 

THE  STORY  OF  A  WORKINGMEN'S  CLUB,  ITS  SEARCH 
FOR  THE  CAUSES  OF  POVERTY  AND  SOCIAL 
INEQUALITY,. ITS  DISCUSSIONS,  AND 
ITS  PLAN  FOR  THE  AMELIORA- 
TION OF  EXISTING  EVILS 


BY 

DAVID  LUBIN 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 
NEW  YORK  &  LONDON 
^be  f^nicheibocfteu  iprcss 

M  C  M 


Copyright,  igoo 

liY 

DAVID   LUBIN 


Ube  IknJchcibocfter  prees,  IRew  Korl? 


Eternal  Wisdom  !     Thee  we  praise, 

Thee  the  creation  sings; 
With  thy  loud  name,  rocks,  hills  and  seas 

And  Heaven's  high  palace  rings. 

Thy  wondrous  power  and  skill  array 

The  earth  in  cheerful  green  ; 
A  thousand  herbs  thy  art  display, 

A  thousand  flowers  between. 

Infinite  strength  and  equal  skill 
Shine  through  thy  works  abroad, 

Our  souls  with  vast  amazement  fill. 
And  speak  the  builder  God. 

Isaac  Watts. 


Where  is  the  slave  so  lowly, 
Condemn'd  to  chains  unholy. 

Who,  could  he  burst 

His  bonds  at  first, 
Would  pine  beneath  them  slowly? 

What  soul,  whose  wrongs  degrade  it, 
Would  wait  till  time  decay'd  it. 

When  thus  its  wing 

At  once  may  spring 
To  the  throne  of  Him  who  made  it  ? 

Thomas  Moore. 


Ill 

BQ222a 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER 

I. — Publish  to  Aix  the  World 
II.  — Capital  and  Labour 
III. — The  Plumber  and  the  Woodw 
IV. — Treason  against  Society 
V. — The  Republic  and  Its  Destiny 
VI.— Must  One  Stand  Idle? 
VII.— The  Eviction 
VIII.— Humanity  and  Business    . 
IX. — The  Ineffaceable  Dividing  Line  . 

X.— Gentlemen 

XL — ^The  Industrial  and  Social  Question 
XII. — The    Industrial    and   Social    Question  — 
Continued  ...... 

XIII. — Second  Summary  by  Ezra 
XIV. — A  Confession  of  Prejudice 
XV.— From  a  Business  Point  of  View 
XVI.-  Workman  AND  Master      .... 

XVIL— The  Inavard  Conflict       .... 

XVIII. —Competition  and  Collectivism  Compared 
XIX.— A  Plea  for  Socialism        .... 

XX.— Some  Objections 

XXI. — Third  Summary  by  Ezra  .... 

XXII. — The  Words  of  the  Master      .        .  "      . 

XXIIL— Charity  of  Rich  and  Poor 

XXIV.  —A  Relief  Committee         .... 

XXV.— Our  Central  Theme         .... 

XXVL— True  Monotheism 


13 
21 
26 

47 
56 
65 

73 

78 
84 

93 
100 
log 

113 
120 

128 

134 
141 
148 

153 
161 
168 

174 
178 
184 


m^z'^n 


VI 


Contents 


CHAPTER 

XXVII.— Thr  Law  of  Cause  and  Effect 
XXVIII.-GoD  THE  Cause      . 
XXIX.— The  Uplifting  of  the  Nations 
XXX.— Fourth  Summary  by  Ezra 
XXXI.— Manifest  in  Divers  Ways 
XXXII.— The  Messiah 
XXXIII.— The  Church  Universai. 
XXXIV. —The  Spiritual  Dynamo 
XXXV. — Sacred  and  Secular    . 
XXXVI.— The  Proof  of  God 
XXXVII.— What  God  Is 
XXXVIIL— The  Catholic  Church 
XXXIX.— The  Messianic  Age 
XL.— Faith  and  Reason 
XLI. — Some  Authorities 
XLIL— More  Authorities 
XLIIL— Faith  Strengthened 
XLIV.— Time  and  Further  Though 
XL  v.— The  Two  Travellers 
XL VL— Beauty,  Equity  and  Justice 
XLVII. — The  Absolute  Principle  of  Righteous 

NESS 

XLVIII. — Belief  Freed  from  Idolatry    . 
XLIX. — The  Mother  Church   . 

L.— The  Vast  Povertv-Stricken  Host 
LI. — The  Survival  of  Polytheism     . 
LIL— The  New  F'aiTh     .... 
LIIL— Spiritual  Influence  . 
IvIV. — The  House  of  Assembly 
LV.— The  Enlargement  of  the  Church 
LVI. — Criticism  the  Pathway 

LVII. — Israel 

LVIIL— The  Peace  of  God 

LIX.— Steadfast 

LX. — Much  Cause  for  Hope 


LET  THERE  BE  LIGHT 


LET  THERE  BE  LIGHT 


CHAPTER  I 


PUBLISH   TO   AI,I,   THE   WORLD 


WE  were  sitting  in  the  library,  my  wife  and  I, 
silent,  in  the  fading  light  of  the  October  after- 
noon. Her  attitude  had  not  changed  during  the  quar- 
ter hour  since,  returned  from  our  walk,  we  had 
dropped  into  the  nearest  chairs,  meaning  to  talk  on 
many  things.  But  the  crowd  of  thoughts, — the  signifi- 
cance of  those  influences  which  might  have  passed  us 
by,  but  which  instead  had,  by  a  mysterious  ordaining, 
seized  us,  shaken  us  and  reconstructed  us, — our  hope, 
our  desire,  our  faith  in  the  future, — all  these  things 
could  find  no  adequate  expression  in  such  words  as 
came  to  our  minds,  and  we  kept  silent. 

My  wife  was  leaning  forward,  gazing  at  the  smoulder- 
ing embers  in  the  fireplace,  her  chin  resting  on  her 
gloved  hands.  I,  with  just-lighted  cigar  held  between 
my  fingers,  sat  watching  her,  noting  unconsciously 
how  her  face,  and  the  dark  curls  escaping  from  under 
the  velvet  of  her  bonnet,  were  crossed  now  and  then  by 


2  Let  There  Be  Light 

the  rays  of  the  western  sun,  which,  entering  through  the 
long  windows,  shot  athwart  the  room. 

Footsteps  sounded  in  the  hall,  and  Thomas  appeared 
at  the  door.     "  Miss  Seiner,"  said  he. 

Immediately  there  entered,  quickly  and  quietly,  a 
graceful  girlish  figure,  plainly  clothed  in  black. 

My  wife  rose  and  held  out  both  hands.  "  Oh,  Eva," 
she  exclaimed,  "  I  am  so  glad  you  have  come  !  " 

"  I  could  n't  help  coming,  Mrs.  Morton.  What  a 
surprise,  your  unexpected  journey  !  As  soon  as  the 
news  reached  me  I  felt  that  we  must  all  meet  together 
once  more  before  you  go.  So  I  hurried  to  find  Mr. 
Fisher,  and  he  will  see  the  rest  of  the  men,  Bradley, 
Moore,  Quail,  and  Valanti.  We  can  meet  at  Bradley's 
house.     You  will  both  come,  won't  you,  this  evening  ?  " 

She  looked  from  one  to  the  other  of  us  as  she  spoke. 
"  Indeed  we  will  come,"  replied  my  wife.  "Joseph 
and  I  could  hardly  have  the  heart  to  leave,  other- 
wise. Who  will  be  there, — ^just  the  five  men  and 
ourselves  ? ' ' 

"  The  five  men,  of  course,  but  others  too,  if  Mr. 
Fisher  can  reach  them  in  time.  We  have  six  new 
members, — think  of  it  !  One  of  them  you  know  already, 
Schubert,  the  man  you  helped  so  much.  Then  Mrs. 
Eldridge,  Mr.  Winslow,  Douglas,  a  coloured  man, 
brought  to  us  by  Quail,  the  Japanese,  Okayama,  and 
Cohen,  who  used  to  be  a  friend  of  Ezra's.  We  've 
known  him  for  a  long  time." 

"  You  don't  know  what  a  shock  it  was  to  us,  Miss 
Seiner,"  said  I,  "to  learn  of  your  brother's  death. 
Dorothy  was  quite  prostrated  by  the  news.  It  seemed 
hard,  just  when  there  was  so  much  for  him  to  do, 
which  perhaps  no  one  else  can  do  as  well. ' ' 

"  Ezra  is  not  dead,"    answered   the  girl,   simplj'. 


Publish  to  All  the  World  3 

"  He  lives,  as  all  souls  live  in  whom  the  Lord  has 
reflected  His  own  Spirit.  He  lives  as  truly  as  our 
own  souls  will  live  after  they  hav^e  left  their  mortal 
tenements.  But  for  all  that,  I  miss  him,  oh,  so 
much  !  " 

"And  so  do  we  all,"  remarked  Dorothy,  "but  re- 
member that  to  him  was  given  to  lay  the  foundation 
of  a  might}^  work.  And  to  that  work  my  husband 
and  I  have  resolv^ed  to  consecrate  ourselves,  so  far  as 
we  can  be  useful  to  it." 

For  some  moments  no  one  spoke.  Then  my  wife 
asked  : 

"  Joseph,  have  you  reports  of  all  the  meetings  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  And  have  you  put  down  in  your  diary  all  the  inci- 
dents that  brought  us  in  touch  with  the  club  ?  " 

"  I  think  so,  up  to  the  time  we  went  to  Chicago.  I 
can  easily  add  the  rest.     Why  ?  " 

"  Because  it  all  ought  to  be  printed.  How  else  can 
we  reach  everybody  ?  There  are  so  few  people  we 
know  and  can  talk  to,  compared  with  the  great  world 
of  men  and  women  who  might  be  reached  by  a  book, 
if  the  book  were  only  there  for  them." 

"  I  quite  agree.  There  should  be  a  book,  and  I  wish 
I  could  write  it,  but  I  can't.  I  am  willing  to  tell  all 
the  experiences  that  have  led  me  to  change  my  social 
attitude,  and  to  join  in  the  foundation  of  the  great 
work.  I  have  never  tried  to  write  a  book.  How  would 
it  do  to  place  the  matter  in  the  hands  of  some  literary 
people  to  put  it  in  current  literary  form  ?  " 

"  No,  that  will  never  do,  Joseph,"  said  my  wife; 
"  we  want  no  novel ;  there  are  enough  of  these  already. 
The  book  should  contain  the  full  report  of  the  club 
meetings.     These  will   be  sufficient  in  themseU^es  to 


4  Let  There  Be  Light 

interest  the  people.  The  reports  should  not  be  changed, 
they  should  be  printed  just  as  they  were  delivered. 
It  will,  then,  be  workingman  speaking  to  working- 
man,  to  capitalist, —  to  all  the  people." 

"  We  can  bring  the  matter  up,"  I  said,  "  at  to- 
night's meeting." 

"  I  think,"  said  Eva,  "  that  this  proposal  will  be 
very  favourably  received  at  the  meeting.  And  now  I 
must  go,  as  I  have  so  many  things  to  do  before  the 
meeting.  I  wish  you  a  most  delightful  journey.  I 
shall  miss  you  both,  and  shall  think  of  you  often. 
My  prayers  go  with  you." 

"  Your  prayers  will  always  be  a  consolation,  Eva," 
said  my  wife.  "  One  of  them  I  almost  know  by  heart, 
— the  one  I  have  sometimes  heard  you  say.  Repeat  it 
now,  with  us,  won't  you,  before  you  go  ?  It  expresses 
to  me,  more  than  any  other,  the  true  aspirations  of  our 
faith." 

We  all  drew  our  chairs  nearer,  and  Eva,  clasping 
her  hands  in  her  lap,  raised  her  eyes,  and,  with  a  look 
of  exaltation  on  her  features,  ^ — features  Hebraic  in 
cast,  and  nobly  spiritual, — repeated  the  prayer,  my 
wife  and  I  uttering  the  words  with  her,  but  in  a  lower 
tone  : 

Praised  be  Thou,  Gracious  and  Sovereign  Lord. 

Thou  who  art  the  source  of  all, 

Thou  who  art  without  beginning  and  without  end  ; 

Thou  who  knowest  not  Injustice, 

And  withholdest  not  Mercy. 

Thou  only  Entity  ! 

Thou  Archetype  of  Beauty, 

Thou  true  Spiritual  Harmony  ! 

All-Father, 


Publish  to  All  the  World  5 

Our  Father. 

Infinite  I^ove  and  Loveliness, 

God. 

To  Thee  do  we  humbly  and  reverently  raise  our 
voices  in  prayer. 

We  come  to  Thee  for  lyight,  for  Spiritual  Light, 

Which  shall  illumine  our  souls. 

We  come  to  Thee  for  guidance,   for  Thy  help  to 
keep  us 

Steadfast  in  the  course  which  Thou  wouldst  have  us 
follow. 

Efface  from  our  hearts,  O  God,  any  trace  of  enmity, 
any  cause  of  dissension. 

Blot  out  from  our  minds  the  dividing  lines  which  we, 
through  ignorance,  have  placed  there. 

Teach  us  to  remember  that  White  Men,  Black  Men 
and  Yellow  Men,  are  alike  Thy  children. 

Teach  us  to  know  that  all  these  are  our  brethren 
and  our  neighbours. 

Teach  us  how  we  may  learn 

To  know  Thee  through  Thy  works  and 

Through  Thj^  laws,  in  order  that  we  may  be 

Freed  from  all  traces  of  idolatry. 

Grant  this,  our  prayer  and  our  petition. 

And,    in   Thy    gracious    mercy,    grant    this    to  all 
mankind. 

Amen. 


CHAPTER  II 

CAPITAL   AND  "LABOUR 

IT  was  almost  a  year  ago  —  eight  months,  perhaps, 
before  the  conversation  just  narrated — when  I  first 
made  the  experiment  of  addressing  a  workingman  as 
one  man  speaks  to  another.     The  occasion  was  this  : 

My  uncle  had  walked  briskl}^  into  the  librarj^  one 
morning  after  breakfast,  and  said  to  me  : 

"  Joseph,  I  am  going  to  the  bank.  Won't  you  take 
the  waggon,  drive  to  the  L,enox  Avenue  building,  and 
try  to  fix  up  the  difiiculty  with  the  men  ?  " 

Now  everyone  who  knows  my  uncle,  Mr.  Henry 
Morton,  knows  that  when  he  requests  a  thing  to  be 
done,  that  thing  is,  in  his  mind,  already  done,  and  ad- 
mits of  no  discussion.     I  therefore  replied  : 

"  Yes  ;  but  what  is  the  matter  ?  " 

"  Oh,  they  have  struck, — quit  work." 

"Why?" 

"  I  don't  know.     I  have  just  got  word  of  it." 

"  Should  I  report  to  you  the  terms  of  any  settlement 
before  I  agree  to  it  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  ;  but  only  if  it  involves  some  considerable 
loss." 

"  Very  well."     And  I  hurried  away  on  m}'^  errand. 

& 


Capital  and  Labour  7 

An  hour  later  my  uncle  returned.     I  was  already  in 
the  library. 

"  Well,  Joseph,"  he  began,  "  what  about  the 
strike?" 

"  It  is  all  settled.     It  has  been  declared  ofi." 

"  What  did  it  cost  us  ?  " 

"  It  cost  us  nothing,  but  it  may  be  quite  a  loss  to  the 
ironwork  contractor." 

' '  How  so  ?  " 

"The  trouble  was  that  the  contractor  had  placed 
some  orders  for  iron  columns  with  a  non-union  foundry. 
When  these  were  delivered  the  men  went  on  a  strike. 
They  refused  to  do  any  work  on  the  building  if  the 
non-union  ironwork  were  used.  On  reading  over  the 
contract,  I  found  a  stipulation  which  called  for  union 
work  from  all  contractors  and  sub-contractors.  I  read 
this  to  the  iron  man,  and  he  spoke  to  the  men,  telling 
them  that  the  non-union  iron  would  not  be  used,  and 
so  the  strike  was  declared  off." 

"  Yes,"  said  my  uncle,  "  I  remember  the  clause.  I 
had  it  inserted  in  the  contract." 

"  Why  ?  "  I  inquired.  "  Are  you  so  fond  of  labor 
unions  ?  " 

"  Fond  ?  I  wish  they  were  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea. 
No,  I  had  the  clause  inserted  to  guard  against  such 
loss  and  trouble  as  I  had  with  the  Brooklyn  buildings, 
a  few  years  ago." 

"  But  I  thought  you  gained  the  victory  then." 
"  Yes,  I  gained  the  victory,  but  such  victories  cost 
too  much  money.  My  capital  lay  idle  for  three  months 
during  the  fight  with  the  union,  and  when  we  took  on 
non-union  men  they  botched  the  job.  Besides,  the 
heavy  rains  that  fell  before  the  roofs  were  in  place 
warped  the  timbers." 


8  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  vSo  it  would  seem  the  best  policy  to  contract  all 
biiildiug  work  to  be  done  by  union  men." 

"  That  is  what  I  invariably  do  now.  It  is  the  best 
policy,  though  by  no  means  the  best  principle." 

"Why?" 

"  Because,"  replied  my  uncle,  "  the  union  system  is 
vicious  and  un-American.  It  is  not  free  competition  ; 
it  is  coerciv^e,  oppressive  and  tyrannical.  It  brings 
you  and  me  into  contempt.  Consider  ;  here  are  a  lot 
of  boors,  many  of  them  foreigners,  who  dictate  to 
us,  their  employers.  The  wild  talk  of  unscrupulous 
politicians  does  much  to  encourage  these  rascals  in  their 
defiance  of  law.  They  hear  that  they  are  nature's 
noblemen,  the  right  arm  of  the  nation,  and  more  stuff 
of  that  sort.  The  asses  actually  believe  it.  No  wonder 
they  band  together  to  coerce  the  very  men  on  whom 
they  are  dependent." 

"  What  remedy  is  there  for  this  state  of  things  ?  " 

"  I  wish  I  knew  a  remedy.  All  I  can  think  of  is 
counter-combinations  among  employers,  but  that  is  not 
always  practicable  or  even  possible." 

"  But  is  n't  this  trouble  decreasing  ?  " 

"  On  the  contrary,  it  is  increasing.  The  impudence 
of  the  unions  is  almost  incredible.  For  example,  I 
had  for  several  years  a  most  obedient  and  trustworthy 
man  as  care-taker  in  my  Eighth  Avenue  buildings. 
He  was  a  good  carpenter,  and  I  was  ready  to  help  him 
along,  so  I  put  him  to  work  on  some  of  my  unfinished 
houses.  What  was  the  result  ?  The  poor  man  was 
constantly  insulted,  called  a  '  scab '  and  other  vile 
names,  and  threatened  with  bodily  harm.  In  the  end 
he  had  to  quit  the  job. 

"  I  am  beginning  to  think  that  serious  results  will 
follow  the  excess  of  freedom  allowed  to  this  raw  and 


Capital  and  Labour  9 

ignorant  body  of  men.  Instead  of  flaunting  the  liberty- 
cap  before  their  eyes,  we  should  show  them  the  yoke 
of  law,  the  strong,  restraining  arm  of  centralised  power. 
They  clamour  of  liberty  ;  but  liberty,  to  them,  means 
licence, — licence  to  rule,  to  dictate,  to  trample  on  the 
law.  There  is  but  one  really  effective  way  to  deal 
with  them.  We  should  strengthen  and  centralise 
authority,  then  stimulate  this  rabble  to  commit  those 
excesses  for  which  they  are  only  too  ready,  and  crush 
them  once  and  for  ever." 

"That  reminds  me.  Uncle  Harry,"  I  said,  speak- 
ing in  a  lower  tone,  ' '  that  the  woodworker  you  sent  for 
is  sitting  out  in  the  hall,  waiting  for  his  orders.  He 
has  probably  overheard  our  conversation,  and  if  he  is  a 
union  man,  as  is  likely,  he  must  be  considerably  edified 
by  your  comments. ' ' 

"  Oh,  well,"  replied  my  uncle,  "  that  does  n't  matter 
much.  These  union  men  all  know  my  opinion  anyway. 
I  '11  set  him  to  work  on  the  bookcases  in  the  library 
annex,  and  when  the  plumber  comes  while  I  am  out, 
will  you  explain  to  him  about  the  gas  fixtures  ?  ' ' 

"  Yes,  certainly,"  I  replied. 

This  library  annex  was  a  small  addition  to  the  house, 
made  necessary  by  the  exigencies  of  my  uncle's  busi- 
ness, and  recently  constructed.  A  door  connected  it 
with  the  library,  of  which  it  was  iu  reality  an  exten- 
sion, and  in  the  two  rooms  was  transacted  most  of  the 
business  connected  with  the  care  of  my  uncle's  property 
and  my  own. 

My  uncle,  having  given  his  instructions  to  the  wood- 
worker, departed.  Shortly  there  arrived  the  expected 
plumber,  whom  I  took  into  the  library  extension,  where 
I  gave  him  the  necessary  orders  about  his  work.  Then 
I  returned  to  my  desk  and  my  own   duties,   leaving 


lo  Let  There  Be  Light 

both  workingmen  in  the  adjoining  room,  through  the 
half-opened  door  of  which  came  presently  a  cheerful 
noise  of  pounding  and  hammering. 

Left  alone  in  the  library,  I  worked  for  some  time, 
absorbed  in  my  correspondence.  At  length  I  realised 
that  the  noise  of  hammering  had  ceased,  and,  looking 
at  my  watch,  I  perceiv^ed  that  it  was  after  twelve 
o'clock.  From  the  next  room  came  the  sound  of 
voices.  The  workmen  were  eating  their  dinner,  and 
were  conversing  meantime.  The  woodworker  was 
speaking;  I  recognised  his  deep  bass  tones. 

"  It  would  have  made  your  blood  boil  to  hear  the 
old  man.  He  hates  the  workingman  ;  he  showed  it  in 
every  word  he  uttered.  He  is  a  good  example  of  his 
class.  I  wish  the  day  were  here  when  we  could  give 
these  swane  what  they  have  earned." 

Ah,  this  was  interesting  !  So  we  were  swine,  my 
uncle  and  I  !  I  would  do  some  listening  on  my  own 
account  ;  and,  leaning  back  in  my  chair,  I  waited  for 
the  plumber's  reply.  It  came  promptly,  though  not 
quite  in  the  form  I  had  anticipated. 

"  I  can  understand,"  he  said  to  the  woodworker, 
"  why  you  feel  as  you  do  ;  but  you  seem  to  forget  that  it 
is  natural  for  men  in  their  position  to  think  and  talk  in 
that  way  about  organised  labour.  Suppose  you  somehow 
got  as  much  money  as  they  hav^e,  how  would  you  act  ? 
Would  you  sit  here  and  talk  on  familiar  terms  with  a 
plumber  ?  Would  you  double  or  triple  the  rate  of  wages  ? 
Would  you  spend  your  time  trying  to  better  the  con- 
dition of  the  poor  ?  Or  would  you  perhaps  divide  your 
money  wdth  us  workingmen  ?  Of  course  not.  I  guess 
that  you,  as  a  rich  man,  would  feel  about  the  poor,  ■ 
and  about  organised  labour,  just  as  these  people  do." 

"That  may  be,"  the  woodworker  answered,  "but 


Capital  and  Labour  n 

it  only  goes  to  prove  that  private  ownership,  capital- 
ism, is  degrading  and  demoralising.  I  know  you  are 
opposed  to  collectivism  ;  but  tell  me,  what  will  the 
present  system  result  in  ?  Do  you  know  what  the  old 
man  said  this  morning  ?  He  said  that  the  only  effect- 
ive way  to  deal  with  organised  labour  was  to  strengthen 
central  authority,  goad  the  workingman  to  excesses, 
and  then  crush  him  forever.  What  does  that  mean  ? 
It  means  that  these  swine  of  capitalists  want  power  to 
reduce  still  farther  the  measure  of  our  bread,  to  take 
from  our  children  still  more  of  their  opportunities  for 
education  by  sending  them  to  the  factory  instead  of 
the  school.  They  even  rob  us  of  our  right  of  charity 
by  withholding  from  us  the  means  of  caring  for  our 
aged,  our  feeble,  our  helpless  and  our  unfortunate. 

"  They  are  willing  to  do  all  this  and  more  too,  and 
are  not  ashamed  to  employ  centralised  power  in  the 
form  of  state  and  national  bayonets.  And  for  what  ? 
What  but  to  swell  their  unrighteous  absorption  of  the 
earnings  of  labour  that  they  may  wallow  the  more  in 
the  trough  of  luxury  ! 

"  Cheaper,  cheaper  !  is  their  constant  cry,  but  when 
Vv^e  purchase  we  find  it  is  dearer,  still  dearer  !  Only 
what  we  have  for  sale,  our  toil,  our  energy,  our  trades- 
craft,  and  our  time,  — these  things,  through  their  cun- 
ning and  rapacious  cruelty,  are  made  cheap.  And  when 
they  sell  to  us  our  food,  our  clothes,  and  our  shelter, — 
these,  with  devilish  cunning,  are  made  dear.  Thus  do 
the  capitalistic  ghouls  seize  us  on  both  sides,  and  feed 
fat  on  human  flesh  and  blood." 

"  You  overdraw  the  picture,  I  think,"  said  the 
plumber.  ' '  You  see  but  one  side,  the  power  of  capital  ; 
but  is  there  not  an  effectual  force  in  organised  labour 
which  is  able  to  counteract  the  evils  you  complain  of? 


12  Let  There  Be  Light 

If  capital  seeks  to  crush  us  by  centralising  authority, 
can  we  not  overcome  it  by  our  votes  ?  Does  not 
labour,  by  its  votes,  and  by  its  organisation,  in  fact 
ward  oflf  inj  ury  ?  Do  we  not  hold  the  balance  of 
power,  and  thus,  in  a  measure,  dictate  our  own  terms  ? 

' '  So  far  as  I  can  see,  our  real  weakness  lies  not  so 
much  in  the  power  of  our  antagonists,  as  in  our  own 
lack  of  efficient  organisation.  Take  the  American 
Federation  of  Labour,  for  instance.  If  this  organisation 
wields  the  influence  it  does  with  only  some  six  hundred 
thousand  members,  how  much  greater  would  that  in- 
fluence be,  were  its  membership  doubled  or  trebled  ! 
And  yet  there  are  workingmen  enough  in  the  United 
States  to  form  an  organisation  of  five  millions,  or  even 
more,  if  we  include  agricultural  labourers. 

"  It  seems  to  me  we  would  better  work  together 
toward  increasing  the  strength  of  our  organisation,  in- 
stead of  whining  about  the  power  of  our  antagonists. 

"  And,  by  the  waj^,  what  was  done  at  the  last  club 
meeting  ?     I  meant  to  be  there,  but  work  prevented." 

"  Well,"  the  woodworker  replied,  "  we  decided  on  a 
name,  '  The  Twentieth  Centur}'  Club.'  Ezra  was 
elected  president.  The  subject  for  the  next  meeting 
is  '  The  Republic  and  Its  Destiny.'  You  are  the  first 
speaker.     I  am  to  be  censor. ' ' 

"Isn't  the  subject  rather  far-fetched?  I  thought 
we  were  to  discuss  the  industrial  problem." 

"  So  did  I.  But  in  order  to  cover  the  entire  field  it 
was  decided  to  begin  discussion  with  government, — 
this  government, — and  so  to  work  toward  the  central 
theme  of  our  inquiry." 

' '  Do  you  think  it  will  all  end  in  any  practical  good  ?  ' ' 

"  I  can't  tell  yet,"  answered  the  woodworker.  "  I 
hope  so  ;  in  some  form  or  other. ' ' 


CHAPTER  III 


the;  pIvUmbe^r  and  the;  woodworke;r 


THIS  conversation  began  to  interest  me  unex- 
pectedly. I  felt  inclined  to  take  part  in  it,  and 
I  walked  through  into  the  adjoining  room,  to  the  evid- 
ent surprise  of  the  two  men,  who,  seated  near  each 
other,  were  eating  their  bread  and  meat,  and  drinking 
their  coffee,  as  they  talked. 

"  Perhaps  I  should  have  let  you  know  that  I  was  in 
the  next  room,"  said  I,  "  but  my  mind  was  occupied 
with  various  ideas  which  your  conversation  suggested, 
and  it  only  occurred  to  me  this  moment  that  you  were 
probably  not  aware  of  my  presence. ' ' 

"  We  thought  you  were  at  lunch,"  replied  the  plum- 
ber, "  or  we  should  have  been  more  careful  in  some  of 
the  things  we  said." 

The  plumber  was  a  stout  man  of  perhaps  forty-five. 
His  eye  was  clear  and  his  glance  penetrating.  His 
face,  with  its  reddish  beard  and  its  shaven  upper  lip, 
appeared  to  me  characteristically  that  of  the  American 
workingman.  In  fact  he  seemed  almost  a  counterpart 
of  that  figure  which,  with  paper  cap,  leather  apron, 
rolled-up  sleeves  and  hammer  in  hand,  is  used  by  our 
sculptors  to  typify  "  Labour." 

Taking  a  seat  at  the  table,  I  addressed  myself  first  to 
13 


14  Let  There  Be  Light 

the  '.voodworker.  The  latter  was  evidently  of  German 
birth,  as  his  accent  had  indicated, — a  man  of  thirty- 
five  or  so,  of  medium  height  and  good  build,  of  light 
complexion,  slightlj^  bald,  and  wearing  a  moustache. 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  I  began,  "  that  my  uncle,  Mr. 
Morton,  whom  you  saw  this  morning,  may  be  regarded 
as  at  one  pole  of  the  question  under  discussion,  and 
3'ou  at  the  other.  And  both  of  you,  therefore,  may  be 
fairl}'  called  extremists." 

"  Who  that  is  poor,  and  w^ho  that  is  rich,  is  not  an 
extremist  ?  "  he  answered. 

My  first  impression  of  the  woodworker  had  been 
that  he  represented  a  low  order  of  intelligence,  but  this 
impression  was  modified  when  he  began  to  speak,  for 
then  his  face  took  on  that  animation,  caused  by  in- 
terest in  the  subject,  peculiar  to  the  intellectual  Ger- 
man. It  was  then,  in  his  expression,  and  in  the  earnest 
intensity  of  his  manner,  that  could  be  discerned  those 
pugnacious,  tenacious  qualities  which  reminded  one  of 
a  Luther  or  a  Moltke, — a  plain  simplicity  in  repose, 
animation  in  intellectual  exercise. 

"  I  am  what  5'ou  call  rich,"  I  said,  "  and  3'our  friend 
the  plumber  is  what  some  call  poor,  yet  neither  of  us  is 
an  extremist." 

"  But  if  I  am  to  be  condemned  as  an  extremist," 
pursued  the  woodworker,  "  so  must  you  condemn  your 
uncle,  whom  you  call  an  extremist  also." 

"  I  condemn  neither.  Such  natures  are  as  neces.sary 
to  social  development  as  is  the  conserv^ative  mind  ;  in 
fact,  more  so,  for  we  owe  much  to  the  radicals.  They 
are  the  originators,  the  initiators,  the  promulgators  ; 
and  as  such  they  deserve  our  high  esteem.  The  con- 
servative mind  checks  undue  impetuosity,  sifts,  weighs, 
eliminates,  and  amends.     There  lies  its  value. 


Plumber  and  Woodworker  15 

"  Your  club  meetings,"  I  continued,  "  are  likely  to 
result  in  good,  provided  these  two  qualities  of  mind  are 
represented  in  your  association  ;  and,  judging  by  you 
two,  I  should  say  they  were.  But  tell  me,  are  your 
discussions  limited  to  collectivism  ?  " 

"  We  have  laid  out  no  programme  yet,"  replied  the 
plumber,  "  but  we  don't  mean  to  confine  the  discus- 
sions to  socialism.  In  fact,  so  far  as  I  know,  we  have 
only  one  member  who  believes  in  it." 

"  I  feel  interested  in  your  club,"  said  I.  "  Can  you 
let  me  see  the  reports  of  your  debates  ?  I  should  be 
glad  to  read  them  over. ' ' 

"  We  have  no  way  of  doing  that,"  the  woodworker 
answered.  "  The  debates  are  not  in  writing,  and  we 
can't  afford  a  stenographer." 

"  I  would  attend  some  of  the  meetings  myself,"  I 
said,  "  if  I  were  asked." 

The  plumber  looked  toward  his  companion.  "  We 
will  propose  your  invitation  at  the  next  meeting,"  said 
he.     The  woodworker  nodded  assent. 

' '  Thank  you.  Let  me  hear  from  you.  And  now, 
in  case  I  am  invited  to  some  meeting  which  I  am  un- 
able to  attend,  I  have  another  proposition  to  make. 
Suppose  I  send  my  stenographer  to  take  down  the  de- 
bates. I  will  have  him  report  them  as  fully  as  you 
desire,  and  then  put  his  report  into  typewriting,  one 
copy  for  each  member,  if  you  are  not  too  many,  and 
one  for  me..     How  will  that  do  ?  " 

"  Very  well,  indeed,"  replied  the  plumber,  with  a 
pleased,  eager  look.  "  That  will  give  us  a  chance  to 
compare  the  arguments  and  analyse  them." 

"Well,  then,"  said  I,  "  I  will  send  the  steno- 
grapher." 

The  woodworker  had  seemed  to  reflect  for  a  moment. 


1 6  Let  There  Be  Light 

' '  Perhaps  we  ought  to  place  your  offer  before  the  club, 
and  have  it  acted  on  in  the  regular  wa}',"  he  said. 

"  Quite  so,"  I  replied.  "  Make  the  offer  in  my 
name.  And  now,  before  I  go,  I  will  present  myself 
My  name  is  Morton,  Joseph  Morton,  and  I  live  here 
with  my  uncle,  Mr.  Henry  Morton.  Call  on  me  here 
at  any  time.     I  shall  be  glad  to  see  j-ou." 

"  My  name,"  said  the  plumber,  "  is  James  Bradley." 

"  And  mine  is  Frederick  Fisher,"  added  the  wood- 
worker, 

"  I  am  happy  to  know  you,  gentlemen.  And  your 
club, — how  many  members  has  it  ?  " 

"  Six,"  the  plumber  answered. 

"  All  workingmen  ?  " 

"  Yes,  like  Fisher  and  myself" 

"  Then  I  shall  expect  to  meet  5^ou  all  soon."  And, 
turning,  I  left  the  men  to  their  work,  and  re-entered 
the  library. 

No  sooner  was  I  alone  than  doubts  entered  my  mind 
as  to  the  wisdom  of  my  course.  Clearly,  the  proposi- 
tion I  had  made,  if  it  led  to  anything,  would  result  in 
other  relations  with  workingmen  than  those  to  which  I 
had  been  accustomed.  In  fact,  those  new  relations 
had  already  begun.  I  could  no  longer  speak  quite  as 
before  to  the  two  men  whom  I  had  invited  to  meet  me, 
in  certain  ways,  on  an  equality.  What  would  be  the 
result,  to  me,  of  such  a  constantly  increasing  change  in 
my  social  attitude  ? 

Of  my  uncle's  feelings  I  had  no  doubt.  He  had 
sufficiently  expressed  them  ;  and  he  would  hardly 
sympathise  with  my  friendship  for  men  who  called  him 
"  swine"  and  "  ghoul."  To  be  sure,  he  had  called 
them  "  rascals"  and  "  asses,"  but  that  would  hardly 
seem  to  him  suflScient  reason  for  shaking  hands  with 


Plumber  and  Woodworker  17 

them.  I  could  count  on  his  strong  disapproval  of  my 
course. 

And  what  was  my  own  real  motive  ?  Was  I  to  hear 
the  case  between  capital  and  labour,  and  perhaps  render 
a  voluntary  judgment  against  myself?  Did  I  desire  to 
take  up  practical  philanthropy  ?  Was  I  anxious  for 
popularity  ?  Had  I  not  acted  thoughtlessly  and  on  the 
spur  of  the  moment  ?  Suppose  I  actually  followed  a 
course  that  indicated  sympathy  with  the  working 
classes  and  perhaps  with  socialism,  and  suppose  that 
fact  became  known  among  my  friends  and  in  my  club  ; 
would  anyone  attribute  to  me  my  real  motive  ?  They 
would  all  either  think  me  crazy,  or  would  credit  me 
with  laying  wires  for  an  entry  into  politics.  The  in- 
consistency of  my  various  attitudes  could  not  fail  to 
strike  me.    Which  of  them  were  false  ?   Let  me  consider. 

First,  as  to  my  club  and  my  friends.  What  was  the 
club  to  me,  or  I  to  it  ?  To  me  it  was  a  lounging  place, 
a  place  to  kill  time.  To  the  club  I  was  a  member,  a 
unit,  and  that  was  all.  What  special  good  was  society 
to  me  ?  Why  should  I  encase  myself  in  conventional- 
ities for  its  sake  ;  why  wrap  myself  in  social  bandages  ? 

Did  I  need  the  aid  of  society  in  order  to  accumulate 
money  ?  Had  I  not  all  the  wealth  my  ambition  craved  ? 
What  if,  through  me,  some  practical  good  could  be 
achieved  for  the  working  classes  ;  what  if  I  could  aid 
in  lessening  the  continuous  strife  between  capital  and 
labour  ?  Was  not  this  a  grander,  nobler  cause  than 
merely  following  the  rut  of  convention  ? 

"Yes,  a  thousand  times,"  came  the  answer.  And 
this  conclusion  of  the  reason, — how  closely  it  linked 
itself  and  became  of  a  kind  with  the  spontaneous  im- 
pulse which  had  prompted  my  offer  to  the  men  ! 
Should  I  retreat  ?     Never. 


1 8  Let  There  Be  Light 

Out  through  the  door  of  the  library  extension  came 
the  phunber  and  the  woodworker. 

"  We  have  finished  our  job,"  announced  the  former, 
"  so  we  will  say  good-afternoon." 

"  Good-afternoon,"  repeated  the  woodworker. 

"  Good-afternoon,  gentlemen,"  said  I,  advancing, 
and  shaking  hands  with  each  of  them.  "  I  shall  ex- 
pect to  see  3'ou  again."  And  in  a  moment  the  street 
door  closed  on  them. 

"What  's  this?  What  's  this?"  exclaimed  my 
uncle,  who  had  entered  during  the  leave-taking,  and 
stood  with  amazement  depicted  on  his  face. 

"What?" 

"  Oh,  this  smirking  and  hand-shaking.     How  much 
did  3'ou  give  them  ?  " 
•"  I  did  n't  pay  them." 

"  Did  n't  you  slip  a  quarter  or  half-dollar  into  their 
hands?" 

"  No,  I  gave  them  no  money." 

"  Did  you  give  them  some  beer  ?  " 

"No." 

"  Well,  what  's  all  this  smirking  and  hand-shaking 
about?" 

There  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  tell  my  uncle  the 
truth,  and  I  did  so,  relating  in  a  few  words  what  had 
taken  place.  He  listened  intently.  When  I  had  con- 
cluded he  had  raised  his  hand,  and,  bringing  it  down 
on  my  desk  with  a  thump  that  set  all  the  papers 
dancing,  exclaimed  : 

"Joseph  jSIorton,  do  you  know  what  I  think  of 
you?" 

"  I  suppose  you  think  I  'ma  fool." 

"Exactly." 

"  Well,  I  'm  not  surprised.     I  thought  so  myself  a 


Plumber  and  Woodworker  19 

few  minutes  before  you  came  in,  but  I  've  got  over  that 
now." 

"  Ah,  I  see,"  said  my  uncle,  smiling.  "  So  this  is 
the  way  you  start  into  politics  !  But  why  take  all  this 
trouble  when  you  are  in  a  position  to  reach  the  Boss 
direct?" 

"  I  assure  you,  Uncle  Harry,  I  have  no  such  inten- 
tion." 

' '  What  then  ?  Have  you  turned  philanthropist  ? 
And  are  you  turning  socialist  too  ?  " 

"  I  am  no  more  a  socialist  than  you  are,"  I  replied. 
"  But  here  was  a  chance  for  some  personal  observation 
on  the  labour  problem.  Besides,  I  was  glad  to  be  able 
to  assist  these  workingmen." 

"  Workingmen  ?  Fiddlesticks!"  exclaimed  my 
uncle.  "  What  have  you  or  I,  or  any  decent  man,  in 
common  with  this  rabble  ?  Why  listen  to  idle  talk  on 
lockouts,  knockouts,  strikes,  eight-hour  laws,  scabs, 
rats,  slave-drivers,  collectivism  and  government  owner- 
ship, the  initiative  and  the  referendum,  all  spiced  and 
salted  down  with  single  tax  and  anarchy  ?  Have  we 
any  special  interest  in  those  twins  in  knavery,  the 
walking  delegate  and  the  labour  leader  ?  Come, 
Joseph,  have  some  .sense  and  keep  out  of  this  !  You 
have  nothing  to  gain  and  much  to  lose  by  such  foolish 
intermeddling." 

"  What  have  I  to  lose?  May  I  not,  on  the  other 
hand,  learn  to  be  of  use  to  my  fellow-man  ?  " 

"You  have  tapped  a  hornet's  nest,"  my  uncle  re- 
plied, "  and  I  fear  you  will  regret  it.  The  trouble  is, 
you  have  had  too  easy  a  time  all  your  life.  Your  father 
never  talked  as  3^ou  do  now.  He  and  I  were  the 
pioneers  of  our  fortunes  ;  we  started  poor  and  worked 
our   way  up.     His   ambition  was  to  give  3^ou  such  a 


20  Let  There  Be  Light 

position  in  the  world  as  few  attain.  You  have  that 
position  ;  why  jeopardise  it  by  mixing  with  sociahsts 
and  labour  agitators  ?  Let  your  purpose  once  be 
known,  and  you  will  be  shunned  as  a  crank  through- 
out society,  if  you  're  not  even  forced  out  of  your 
club." 

"  I  have  considered  all  this,  Uncle,"  said  I,  "  and  my 
conclusion  is  reached." 

"  What  is  it?" 

"  This  :  I  value  my  money,  I  value  my  friends  ;  but 
I  value  most  my  personal  liberty,  and  I  shall  adhere  to 
my  plan." 

"  But  what  will  Dorothy  say  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know." 

"  Perhaps  you  don't  care." 

"  I  do  care.     I  care  very  much." 

My  uncle  drew  up  the  roll  top  of  his  desk  with  a 
bang,  seated  himself  violently,  and  plunged  into  the 
consideration  of  his  papers. 


CHAPTER  IV 


TREASON   AGAINST  SOCIETY 


IT  may  be  well,  at  this  point,  to  give  the  reader  a  few 
words  of  information  about  some  of  the  persons  who 
figure  in  this  narrative.  And,  first,  my  uncle  and 
myself : 

My  uncle,  Henry  Morton,  came,  with  my  father, 
from  Bangor,  Maine,  in  the  early  sixties.  Settling  in 
New  York  City,  they  began  their  business  careers  in  a 
very  humble  way,  and,  by  industry  and  economy,  suc- 
ceeded in  accumulating  what  was  then  to  them  a  con- 
siderable amount  of  money.  This  they  used  as  capital, 
and,  after  a  series  of  fortunate  ventures,  they  withdrew 
from  active  business,  investing  largely  in  real  estate  in 
this  city  and  in  Brooklyn.  My  mother  died  when  I 
was  five  years  of  age,  and  my  father's  death,  which 
occurred  soon  after  I  had  reached  my  twenty-fourth 
year,  five  years  ago,  left  me  an  orphan  and  his  sole 
heir.  So,  closing  the  house,  for  which  there  remained 
no  other  occupant  than  myself,  I  moved  my  belongings 
to  the  home  of  my  uncle,  where  I  have  since  given  such 
assistance  as  I  was  competent  to  render  in  the  care  of 
both  estates. 

In    personal    appearance  my   uncle  is  thought  to 


22  Let  There  Be  Light 

resemble  somewhat  Abraham  Lincoln.  Tall,  angular, 
wir}',  with  strongl)-  marked  features,  carrying  easily 
his  fifty-three  years,  he  is  accustomed  to  command  at- 
tention and  respect.  Though  usually  courteous  and 
affable,  and,  when  in  that  mood,  sometimes  liberal  to  a 
fault,  a  slight  annoyance  may  have  disproportionate 
results,  and  make  him  irritable  and  captious.  He  is  a 
great  reader  and  a  good  debater  ;  of  strict  business 
habits,  he  insists  on  the  fulfilment  of  all  obligations  to 
which  he  is  a  party. 

His  wife,  my  "  Aunt  Barbara,"  as  I  am  accustomed 
to  call  her,  is  a  refined,  sympathetic,  sensible  woman  of 
forty-eight,  among  whose  many  amiable  qualities  one 
of  the  most  conspicuous  is  her  devoted  attachment  to 
her  husband. 

The  remaining  member  of  our  household  was  a  rela- 
tive of  Mrs.  Morton's,  Miss  Dorothy  Hamilton,  then 
twenty-two  years  of  age,  and  since  become,  as  the 
reader  may  have  guessed,  my  wife.  Left  an  orphan  at 
an  early  age,  she  received  an  excellent  education, 
which  she  supplemented  by  much  and  varied  reading, 
of  a  high  order.  vShe  is  slightly  below  the  medium 
height,  slender  but  not  angular,  with  large  dark  eyes, 
and  dark  brown  waving  hair.  Of  her  mental  character- 
istics the  reader  may  be  able  to  form  some  idea  during 
the  course  of  this  narrative.  She,  as  well  as  my  uncle 
and  my  aunt,  had  been  brought  up  in  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  of  which  they  were  members  ;  while 
I  had  laid  myself  open  to  the  reproach  of  belonging  to 
no  church,  but  of  going  to  whatever  form  of  religious 
service  my  inclination  prompted. 

My  morning's  mail  of  the  Saturday  next  after  my 
conversation  with  the  workingmen  included  the  fol- 
lowing letter  : 


Treason  against  Society  23 

"Twentieth  Century  Ci,ub, 

"  New  York,  January  lo,  1899. 
"Mr.  Joseph  Morton— 

'■'■Dear  Sir:  Your  valuable  offer  to  furnish  this  club  with 
stenographic  reports  of  its  debates  has  been  acted  upon  and 
accepted. 

"  We  cordially  invite  you  to  attend  the  meetings  of  the  club, 
which  are  to  be  held  on  the  third  Wednesday  of  every  month, 
beginning  the  i8th  instant.     Debates  at  7.45  p.m. 
"Thanking  you  for  your  kindness,  we  are, 
"  Yours  very  truly, 

"  The  Twentieth  Century  Club, 

"  Antonio  Vai^anti,  Sec'y." 

By  way  of  announcing  my  receipt  of  this  invitation, 
I  handed  it  to  Dorothy  at  breakfast.  And  hardly  had 
I  escaped  from  the  dining-room  and  seated  myself  at 
my  desk,  when  she,  followed  by  my  uncle  and  my  atint, 
gravely  entered  the  library  and  approached  me. 

"  Prisoner  at  the  bar,"  said  she,  "  you  are  accused 
of  a  serious  offence, — treason  against  society.  It  is 
alleged  that  you  harbour  an  intention  to  be  present  at 
socialistic  meetings,  and,  further,  that  you  plan  to  ma- 
terialise the  abominable  doctrines  which  may  be  there 
promulgated,  by  having  the  same  reported  by  your 
stenographer.     Do  you  plead  guilty  or  not  guilty  ?  " 

"  Not  guilty,"  I  replied. 

"  There,  Uncle  !  "  exclaimed  Dorothy.  "  You  see 
he  has  been  falsely  acctised.  I  discharge  the  prisoner 
and  dismiss  the  case." 

"  I  thought  so,"  said  my  uncle,  shaking  his  head. 
"  I  thought  Dorothy  would  bring  you  to  3'our  senses. 
But  perhaps  you  had  given  up  the  idea  already." 

"  I  have  not  given  up  the  idea.  On  the  contrary,  I 
am  about  to  instruct  my  stenographer  to  attend  the 
meetings  and  report  them." 


24  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  exclaimed  my  uncle. 

"  I  mean  that  this  is  no  club  of  socialists.  The  di.s- 
cussions,  I  am  told,  are  to  be  on  the  relations  between 
capital  and  labour." 

"  But  if  you  want  information  on  that  question  why 
seek  it  from  agitators  like  these  ?  Why  not  read  the 
books  in  this  library,  or  go  to  a  course  of  lectures  ?  " 

"  Let  me  ask  a  question  or  two  of  Dorothy,"  said  I, 
"  and  we  will  see  which  is  the  better  way.  Dorothy, 
you  think  the  labour  question  is  a  proper  one  to  in- 
vestigate, don't  you  ?  " 

"Yes." 

' '  And  which  do  you  think  the  better  source  of  in- 
formation, professors  and  their  books,  or  intelligent 
workingmen  ? ' ' 

"  Workingmen,  I  should  say." 

"Why?" 

' '  Because  they  speak  from  experience. ' ' 

"  Yes,  that  is  one  reason  ;  but  there  is  another. 
College  or  university  professors  sometimes  lean  toward 
the  side  of  capital  ;  and  if  they  do  not,  the  regents  or 
trustees  do. ' ' 

"  What  !  "  exclaimed  my  uncle.  "Are  you  starting 
out  as  a  champion  of  labour  ?  ' ' 

"  Oh,  would  n't  that  be  splendid  !  "  cried  Dorothy, 
clapping  her  hands.  ' '  I  should  so  love  to  have 
you  ! ' ' 

' '  Have  you  deserted  me  too,  Dorothy  ?  ' '  my  uncle 
asked,  in  despair.  "  Well,  the  next  time  I  want  help 
I  shall  take  care  not  to  ask  it  from ' ' 

"A  woman,"  Dorothy  added,  laughing.  "Yes, 
you  are  right,  Uncle.     We  do  change  our  minds." 

"  The  intuitive  judgment  of  a  woman  is  often  more 
trustworthy  than  our  slow  reasoning  process,  Uncle 


Treason  against  Society  25 

Harry,"  I  said.  "  I  trust  Dorothy  to  be  on  the  right 
side." 

"  So  the  die  is  cast,"  said  my  uncle,  with  apparent 
resignation.  "  But  you  fail  to  see,  much  less  to  realise, 
what  lies  in  your  path.  Your  new  experiences  will  fill 
your  head  with  strange  and  impracticable  whims, — 
perhaps  involve  you  in  questionable  schemes.  They 
will  certainly  undermine  your  religious  faith." 

"  Henry,"  said  my  aunt,  softly,  "  why  not  try  the 
experiment  of  a  single  meeting  ?  If  that  has  any  such 
results  as  you  fear,  it  will  end  the  whole  matter." 

"  Yes,  let  Joseph  go  to  the  first  meeting,"  Dorothy 
concluded.  ' '  Then  it  will  be  so  much  easier  for  him 
to  decide  what  to  do. ' ' 

My  uncle  made  no  further  comment,  and,  to  my 
great  relief,  this  question  was  settled. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE   REPUBLIC   AND   ITS   DESTINY 

ON  the  appointed  evening  I  proceeded,  with  my 
stenographer,  to  the  rooms — or  room — of  the 
Twentieth  Century  Club,  on  Second  Avenue.  The 
street  number  which  I  sought  proved  to  be  at  the  en- 
trance to  a  tenement-like  building  of  respectable  ap- 
pearance. I  ascended  the  narrow  staircase,  and  at  the 
head  of  the  first  flight  of  steps  found  a  door  upon  which 
appeared  a  small,  lettered  sign,  bearing  the  club's 
name.  At  my  knock  the  door  was  opened  by  Bradlej^ 
the  plumber,  who  greeted  me  cordially,  and  invited 
me  in. 

I  found  myself  in  a  room  about  fifteen  by  twenty  feet 
in  extent,  the  floor  bare,  and  the  walls  and  ceiling 
covered  with  a  cheap  paper.  In  the  centre  stood  a 
table,  upon  which  rested  a  lamp  and  some  books. 
Green  shades  were  drawn  at  the  two  windows  which 
looked  upon  the  street.  In  a  corner  were  .some  shelves 
bearing  more  books.  Upon  opposite  walls  hung  a  map 
of  the  world,  a  cheap  picture  of  Washington,  and  some 
framed  documents.  A  settee  and  plain  chairs  com- 
pleted the  meagre  furnishings. 

Bradley,  who  now  wore  a  suit  of  black  instead  of  his 

26 


The  Republic  and  Its  Destiny       27 

ordinary  working  clothes,  presented  to  nie  the  remain- 
ing members  of  the  club,  of  whom  the  first  to  greet  me 
was  an  Italian,  Antonio  Valanti. 

Mr.  Valanti  was  a  man  of  twenty-five  or  six,  slightly 
below  the  average  in  height,  with  the  dark  complexion 
of  his  race,  curling  hair  and  drooping  moustache.  His 
expression  denoted  geniality  and  frank  simplicity. 

Two  men  who,  seated  on  the  settee,  had  seemed  en- 
grossed in  discussion,  now  rose  and  came  toward  me. 
One  of  them  was  my  friend  the  woodworker,  Mr. 
Frederick  Fisher,  who  shook  my  hand  and  made  way 
for  his  companion,  Mr.  Daniel  Moore.  Moore  was 
apparently  an  Irish- American,  or  possibly  even  a  native 
Irishman.  He  seemed  forty  j-ears  of  age,  Vv'as  of  average 
height,  thin,  wiry  and  nervous,  and  of  light  complex- 
ion, with  sandy  hair  and  short  side  whiskers. 

At  this  point  the  door  opened  to  admit  the  two  re- 
maining members.  The  first  vv'as  a  negro,  probably  the 
youngest  man  in  the  group,  certainly  not  twenty-five 
years  of  age.  He  was  tall,  with  shining  black  skin  and 
good  features.  He  bore  himself  well,  his  dress  was 
careful,  and  his  manner  was  easy  and  polite  as  he  came 
up  and  smilingly  gave  me  his  hand.  He  was  presented 
to  me  as  Mr.  Thomas  Quail. 

Although  these  five  members  of  the  club  undoubtedly 
possessed  more  intelligence  than  is  usually  found 
among  ev'en  the  higher  type  of  mechanics,  yet  they 
would  not  have  been  specially  noticed  as  different  from 
others  of  their  class.  The  sixth  member,  however, 
who  was  now  presented  to  me,  bore  the  impress  of  a 
personality  which  compelled  a  second  glance.  He  was 
a  young  man,  hardly  over  thirty,  of  medium  stature, 
with  smoothly  shaven  face  and  dark  complexion.  His 
features  wore  an  expression  of  noble  seriousness.     It 


28  Let  There  Be  Light 

needed  no  second  glance  to  perceive  that,  by  descent  at 
least,  he  was  a  Jew.  In  him  I  met  the  club's  president, 
Ezra  Seiner. 

Chairs  were  now  placed  for  me  and  for  the  sten- 
ographer near  the  head  of  the  table.  All  present  seated 
themselves  ;  and  Mr.  Seiner,  who  was  familiarly  ad- 
dressed as  Ezra,  rose,  and  made  the  formal  announce- 
ment, ' '  Gentlemen,  The  Twentieth  Century  Club  will 
now  come  to  order.  The  secretary  will  read  the  report 
of  the  last  meeting." 

Report  of  a  meeting  of  the  Twentieth  Century  Club, 
New  York,  January  i8,  1899,  7.45  p.m. 

After  the  reading  of  the  minutes  Ezra  arose  and 
spoke  as  follows  : 

Ezra. — Gentlemen,  I  do  not  deem  it  proper  to  take 
up  the  time  of  the  association  in  any  extended  pre- 
liminary remarks.  You  all  know  the  object  and  pur- 
pose for  which  we  are  organised.  You  may  remember 
that  one  of  the  objects  was  mutual  and  self-improve- 
ment ;  the  other  the  development  of  some  plan  for 
amehorating  the  conditions  under  which  we  live.  We 
all  agree  that  these  are  worthy  subjects  for  our  earnest 
consideration,  and  for  this  reason  are  we  organised. 

At  the  preliminary  meeting  it  was  proposed  that  we 
take  up  the  industrial  question  ;  but  an  amendment 
prevailed  that  we  begin  our  inquiry  \>y  a  debate  on 
gov^ernment,  —  the  government  of  this  Republic.  In 
accordance  with  the  resolution,  I  announce  that  the 
subject  for  this  evening  will  be,  "  The  Republic  and  Its 
Destiny."  Mr.  Fisher  has  been  appointed  censor  for 
the  evening,  and  Mr.  Bradley  will  be  the  first  speaker. 

The  plumber  arose  and  spoke  in  an  unembarrassed 
manner,  as  though  he  were  used  to  making  public 
addresses.     In  fact  all  the  members  of  the  club  were 


The  Republic  and  Its  Destiny       29 

evidently  accustomed  to  public  speaking,  and  to  that  I 
attributed  the  facility  in  the  use  of  grammatical  and 
even  at  times  elegant  language  with  which  I  had  been 
impressed  in  listening  to  their  talk. 

Mr.  Bradley. — Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen  :  We 
may  not  know  for  a  certainty  what  the  ultimate  out- 
come of  this  Republic  is  to  be,  for  many  attempts  at 
a  democratic  form  of  government  have  been  made  in 
the  past  ;  and  we  have  seen  even  the  best  of  these 
efforts  submerged  in  a  flood  of  despotism. 

If  statistics  are  taken  for  our  guide,  and  if  we  con- 
sider the  number  of  the  earth's  inhabitants,  from 
earliest  historic  times  to  the  present  day,  we  shall  find 
that  very  few  lived  under  a  free  or  representative  gov- 
ernment. Even  now,  at  the  beginning  of  the  twen- 
tieth century,  there  is  but  a  small  percentage  of  the 
world's  population  under  free  government.  Yet  free 
government  was  well  known  in  ancient  days,  as  we 
may  observe  from  the  writings  of  Aristotle  and  other 
Greek  and  Roman  authors.  However,  this  much  we 
can  say  with  some  degree  of  certainty  : — that  never  be- 
fore in  the  history  of  the  world  has  there  been  a  more 
favourable  time  than  now  for  the  higher  development 
of  liberal  forms  of  government.  For  this  government 
and  its  higher  trend  we  are  indebted  to  the  great  men 
to  whom  this  land  has  given  birth.  To  these  men  we 
owe  the  blessings  we  enjoy.  What  other  country  can 
show  men  like  Washington,  Jefferson,  Hamilton, 
Franklin,  Clay,  Webster,  Lincoln  ?  With  such  men 
to  give  the  trend,  we  may  confidently  hope  to  be  led 
ever  upward  and  onward  in  our  glorious  path. 

We  are  an  example  making  manifest  to  all  the  world 
the  benefits  to  be  derived  from  a  government  by  the 
people,  of  the  people  and  for  the  people.       We  see 


30  Let  There  Be  Light 

clearly  that  in  the  past  free  government  failed  because 
the  people  were  unfaithful  to  their  ideal.  If  we  but 
avoid  this  defect,  we  may  confidentl)'  hope  that  ulti- 
mately this  form  of  government,  thus  demonstrated  by 
us  to  be  the  best,  will  be  adopted  throughout  the 
world.    This,  I  believe,  is  the  destiny  of  this  Republic. 

Do  not  infer  that  I  believe  our  government  has 
already  attained  its  highest  development.  On  the 
contrary,  I  deem  it  still  in  the  experimental  stage  ;  it 
has  yet  to  be  weighed  in  the  balance.  We  feel  yet  the 
momentum  of  the  ideas  of  the  pioneer  founders  of  this 
Republic.  Their  ideas  we  have  materialised.  And, 
as  we  invariably  find  the  ideal  higher  than  its  material- 
isation, we  need  not  be  surprised  to  find  that  in  practi- 
cal application  our  government  is  not  fully  up  to  that 
standard  conceived  by  the  founders  of  our  country. 

Herein,  in  my  opinion,  lies  the  main  cause  for  our 
present  inquir3^  for  it  seems  to  me  that  we  could  not 
complain  of  inequality  and  injustice,  were  there  a 
strict  adherence  to  the  theme  and  principles  of  our 
government  as  it  was  originally  promulgated. 

The  desire  for  amelioration  springs  largel)'  from  the 
wish  to  make  perfect  what  is  now  imperfect.  As  we 
know  that  we  have  reason  for  demanding  the  ameliora- 
tion of  our  condition,  so  may  we  know  that  the  cause 
of  the  evils  of  which  we  complain  is  centred  in  the  im- 
perfections of  our  government,  in  the  defects  of  its 
practical  application. 

Is  this  not  evident  ?  Is  it  not  evident  in  our  present 
mode  of  exercising  the  rights  of  the  franchise  ?  Voting 
can  be  done  by  any  citizen,  properly  registered.  This 
is  true  : — but  for  whom  do  the  voters  vote  ?  Some,  no 
doubt,  answer,  "  For  the  candidates  of  their  choice." 
But  how  nuich  truth  is  there  in  that  ?     No  truth  at  all. 


The  Republic  and  Its  Destiny      31 

it  seems  to  me.  In  reality,  almost  all  vote  for  candi- 
dates selected  for  them  by  an  irresponsible  and  interested 
n]inorit3^  Investigation  will  show  clearly  that  this  in- 
terested and  irresponsible  minority  represents,  on  the 
one  hand,  the  retail  liquor-dealers,  and  on  the  other, 
the  great  trusts  and  corporations.  This  interested  and 
irresponsible  minority  acts  as  a  unit,  through  the 
medium  of  the  caucus  and  the  primary.  And  so  long 
as  such  is  the  case,  the  real  governing  power  of  the 
people  must  be  largely  frustrated.  Under  such  a 
system,  there  is  ever}^  danger  that  government  will 
cease  to  be  representative,  and  will  become  oligarchic. 

Improvements  have,  indeed,  been  made,  and  are 
being  made,  in  the  system  of  casting  the  vote  ;  but  of 
what  use  are  such  changes  so  long  as  retail  liquor- 
dealers  and  trusts  and  corporations  control  the  caucus 
and  the  primary  ?     Of  no  use  whatever. 

It  therefore  seems  to  me  that  the  cause  of  the  injust- 
ice and  inequality  under  which  we  labour  may  be 
traced  to  an  imperfection  in  our  government,  and  that 
the  removal  of  this  imperfection  would  bring  the 
amelioration  which  we  seek. 

Ezra. — The  next  speaker  will  be  Mr.  Moore. 

Air.  Moore. — Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen  :  It  seems 
to  me  we  are  indebted  not  solely  to  the  illustrious  men 
mentioned  Ijy  the  speaker  who  preceded  me,  but  to 
many  others.  Some  legacj-  we  have  received  from  the 
classic  Greeks  ;  in  modern  times  we  have  felt  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Hansa  Towns  ;  and  to  Holland,  England, 
Switzerland  and  France,  we  owe  a  large  measure  of 
the  liberty  we  enjoy. 

I  agree  with  the  last  speaker,  however,  as  to  the 
destiny  of  this  Republic.  I  agree  with  him  as  to  the 
imperfections  of  our  .system  of  nominating  delegates  for 


32  Let  There  Be  Light 

primaries  and  conventions  ;  I  admit  that  such  imper- 
fections exist.  I  think  with  him  that  these  imperfect- 
ions are  largely  the  cause  of  the  existing  inequality  and 
injustice  from  which  we  suffer.  I  agree,  too,  that  the 
removal  of  this  cause  would  bring  the  amelioration 
which  we  seek.  The  question  remains,  how  may  this 
evil  be  remedied  ?  And  the  only  answer  I  can 
give  is  this  : — that  citizens  should  be  compelled  to  at- 
tend the  caucus  and  the  primary.  This,  if  done,  would 
take  the  nominating  power  away  from  the  irresponsible 
few,  and  place  it  in  the  hands  of  the  people.  Such 
penalties  could  then  be  imposed  as  would  render  attend- 
ance at  caucus  and  primaries  as  certain  as  is  attendance 
for  jury  duty. 

Ezra. — The  next  speaker  will  be  Mr.  Valanti. 

Mr.  Valanti.  —  Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen  :  It 
would  be  in  poor  taste  for  an  American  citizen  to  claim 
any  superlative  merit  for  a  foreign  government  under 
which  he,  or  his  fathers,  once  lived  ;  not  simply  because 
the  government  of  the  United  States  is  that  under 
which  he  lives  now,  but  because  its  real  merits  deserve 
his  entire  and  unbiassed  devotion. 

"Where  else  in  all  the  world  shall  we  find  that  real 
equality,  that  real  fraternity,  that  real  liberty,  which 
we  enjoy  here  ?  This  very  assembly,  for  instance,  this 
harmonious  debate  among  persons  of  various  races, 
creeds,  and  colour, — where  else  but  in  this  country 
would  it  be  possible  ?  Yet  we  should  not  lack  the 
courage  to  speak  the  truth  frankly,  as  we  find  it  in  the 
facts  of  history.  Does  not  this  Republic  owe  its  form, 
and  I  may  say  its  very  possibility  of  existence,  to  the 
old  Roman  Republic  ?  Is  this  fact  not  manifest  in  our 
national  standard  of  the  eagle,  in  the  bundle  of  tied 
rods  formerly  carried  by  the  lictors,  in  our  adoption 


The  Republic  and  Its  Destiny       33 

of  the  principles  of  Roman  civil  and  political  law,  and 
of  Rome's  parliamentary  usage  ? 

Did  not  Rome,  from  the  time  of  Romulus  to  that  of 
Augustus,  teach  the  world  more  about  a  republican 
form  of  government  than  did  any  other  nation  what- 
ever ?  Did  not  the  Roman  Republic  give  the  trend  to, 
and  in  reality  shape  the  destiny  of,  all  other  republics 
that  have  since  been,  or  are  yet  to  be  ? 

That  there  has  since  been  improvement,  development, 
is  true  ;  but  this  fact  in  no  wise  removes  the  debt  of 
obligation  which  we  owe  to  that  magnificent  force  in 
human  affairs,  the  Roman  Republic.  We  are,  there- 
fore, justified  in  concluding  that  the  government  under 
which  we  live  is  in  reality  but  a  continuation,  in  essen- 
tial spirit  and  form,  of  that  evolved  by  the  ancient 
Romans.  And  as  improvement  and  development  hav^e 
followed  their  initial  efforts,  so  further  improvements 
and  higher  developments  are  likely  to  follow  our 
present  endeavours,  and  in  time  our  form  of  govern- 
ment will  become  the  general  and  only  one.  The 
development  of  the  republican  form  of  government  is, 
therefore,  the  destiny  of  this  Republic. 

I  have  listened  with  interest  to  the  suggestions  of 
the  preceding  speakers  for  the  amelioration  of  our 
present  condition.  While  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  not 
all  existing  injustice  and  inequality  are  due  to  the 
causes  which  they  name,  I  agree  that  the  imperfections 
of  our  franchise  system  are  a  sore-spot  in  our  body- 
politic. 

But  I  think  the  remedy  suggested  by  the  last  speaker 
would  not  be  acceptable  to  the  American  people.  Any 
act  compelling  voters  to  attend  the  caucus,  or  to  vote 
at  a  primary,  would  be  considered  tyranny,  and  would 
not  be  likely  of  adoption. 


34  Let  There  Be  Light 

As  a  substitute  for  the  caucus,  I  propose  a  system 
of  choosing  delegates  for  primaries,  conducted  by  open 
ballot,  through  the  United  States  mail.  I,et  each 
voter  use  a  blank  attested  by  two  citizen  witnesses,  fill 
it  in  and  mail  it  to  the  place  directed.  Thus  every 
citizen  would  have  the  right  to  name,  as  delegate, 
whomsoever  he  pleased  within  the  meaning  and  intent 
of  the  law.  Penalties  for  forgery  or  for  non-compliance 
could  be  embodied  in  the  act  ;  and,  so  as  to  remove  the 
expense  from  the  poor,  it  could  be  provided  that  these 
blanks  be  franked,  and  go  free  as  first-class  mail. 

Ezra. — The  next  speaker  will  be  Mr.  Quail. 

Mr.  Qziail. — Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen  :  Were  I 
inclined  to  shelter  my  people  from  reproach  for  any 
present  shortcomings,  by  recalling  some  compensating 
glory  of  the  past,  I  could  point  to  no  such  glory.  The 
negro  race  can  as  yet  boast  of  no  exalted  achievement 
in  the  world's  development,  nor  can  I,  in  their  behalf, 
proudly  recall  the  past,  in  the  manner  of  the  last 
speaker.  For  the  negro,  his  glory,  if  any,  must  be  of 
the  future.  Our  labour  for  humanity  is  before  us,  yet 
to  be  accomplished.  Therefore  whatever  I  may  say 
of  the  share  of  other  peoples  in  shaping  this  Republic, 
and  in  giving  it  its  peculiar  trend,  may  be  accepted  as 
free  from  bias  or  preconceived  notions. 

And  now,  as  to  the  trend  of  this  Republic  :  can  we 
not  unerringly  show  it  to  have  been  given  by  the 
Hebrew  people,  the  Jews  ?  When  all  the  world  was 
governed  by  force,  by  the  rule  of  might,  was  not  the 
Hebrew  Commonwealth  governed  by  the  law  of  equity, 
by  the  Bible  ?  Was  not  the  Bi^le  this  people's  constitu- 
tion and  their  code  ?  Was  not  this  unalterable  con- 
stitution and  code  their  unerring  guide  for  centuries, 
in  government  and  in  social  life  ? 


The  Republic  and  Its  Destiny       35 

As  for  this  Republic,  was  it  established  from  a  desire 
to  copy  the  government  of  ancient  Rome  or  that  of  the 
Hanseatic  Towns  ?  Was  it  with  this  intention  that 
the  Pilgrim  Fathers  came  to  these  shores  ?  Was  this 
the  cause  of  their  self-imposed  exile  from  home  and 
fatherland  ?  Was  the  cause  not,  rather,  their  deter- 
mination to  interpret  freely,  and  to  embody  in  social  and 
political  life,  those  very  laws  of  the  Jews,  as  set  forth 
in  the  Bible  T  Cannot  this  same  motive,  in  a  modified 
form,  be  attributed  to  the  Catholics  who  originally 
settled  in  Maryland  ?  And  the  Quakers  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  the  other  sectarians  who  formed  settlements 
in  the  New  World, — were  they  not  all  actuated  by  a 
similar  impulse  ?  And  did  not  all  this  result  in  the 
establishment  of  this  Republic  ? 

They  tell  us  the  Republic  was  born  when  the  Declar- 
ation of  Independence  was  adopted  ;  but  was  it  not, 
rather,  born  when  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  put  aside  the 
aristocratic  laws  of  England,  and  in  their  stead  adopted 
the  republican  form  of  government  as  set  forth  in 
the  Bible  ?  Surely.  And  the  influence  of  the  Bible 
was  more  potent  in  the  formation  of  this  Republic 
than  were  all  other  influences  whatever  ;  for  many, 
and  in  fact  the  principal,  laws  of  the  early  New 
England  settlers  were  the  laws  of  the  Bible  pure  and 
simple. 

The  Republic,  therefore,  existed  long  before  the  tea 
was  thrown  overboard  in  Boston  Harbour  ;  long  before 
the  battles  of  Bunker  Hill,  Lexington,  Concord  and 
Saratoga. 

In  my  opinion,  the  American  Nation  is  the  successor 
of  the  Hebrew  Commonwealth,  and  the  rejection  of 
the  Jews  has  thus  been  no  loss  to  the  world.  The  spirit 
of  the  eternal  Constitution,  —that  divine  code  by  which 


36  Let  There  Be  Light 

the  Jews  were  formerly  governed, — is  at  the  very  found- 
ation of  our  social  and  political  constitutions. 

I  fully  agree  with  the  first  speaker,  who  said  that 
never  before  had  there  been  a  more  favourable  time  for 
the  promulgation  and  perpetuation  of  liberal  forms  of 
government  than  now.  Judea  contained  a  people  few 
in  number,  and  was  surrounded  on  every  side  by  des- 
potism and  slaver3\  The  United  States,  on  the  other 
hand,  is  a  mighty  nation  of  nearly  eighty  millions  of 
the  most  intelligent  and  progressive  people  in  the 
world  ;  nor  are  we  surrounded  by  the  barbarous  con- 
ditions which  surrounded  Israel. 

As  to  the  destiny  of  this  Republic,  there  can  be  no 
question.  It  need  but  persevere  in  its  course.  It  will 
thus  not  only  achieve  for  itself  the  highest  place  in  the 
history  of  nations  ;  it  will,  through  its  influence,  raise 
the  standard  of  all  the  other  nations  of  the  earth.  This 
is  its  destin3^  This  it  is  which  should  make  any 
man  feel  proud  who,  bearing  the  honoured  title  of 
American  citizen,  understands  how  to  appreciate  that 
title. 

And  now,  in  conclusion,  I  desire  to  comment  briefly 
on  the  franchise. 

It  is  a  fact  beyond  question  that  the  existing  in- 
justice and  inequality  are  largely  due  to  the  abuse  of 
the  franchise.  And  from  this  abuse  the  negro  race 
suffers  most  ; — why,  and  in  what  part  of  this  country  its 
suff'ering  is  most  intense,  are  too  well  understood  to 
need  explanation. 

Whether  the  remedies  for  this  abuse  suggested  by 
the  speakers  who  preceded  me  are  of  a  kind  that  would 
be  acceptable  to  the  American  people  I  cannot  say,  but 
I  am  sure  some  eSicient  remedy  would  be  welcome.  The 
American  people  as  a  whole  have  at  stake  greater  and 


The  Republic  and  Its  Destiny       37 

more  far-reaching  interests  in  the  integrity  of  the 
franchise  than  in  any  other  question.  Some  practical 
suggestion  would  therefore  be  likely  of  adoption,  and  I 
add  this  one  : — that  the  place  for  holding  caucus  and 
primaries,  and  for  all  voting,  be  the  public  school 
buildings. 

^^T^.— The  next  speaker  will  be  Mr.  Fisher,  the 
censor  of  the  evening. 

Mr.  Fisher. — Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen  :  The 
office  of  censor  is  a  most  difficult  and  exacting  one.  It 
should  be  the  province  of  the  censor,  as  I  understand 
it,  to  analyse  all  seeming  truths,  and  to  show  wherein, 
if  at  all,  they  are  errors.  Politeness  and  courtesy 
must  not  interfere  with  his  plain  duty.  His  is  the 
surgeon's  art,  not  that  of  the  soothing  midwife.  Bring- 
ing forth  nothing,  nor  aiding  to  bring  forth,  he  must 
pitilessly  cut  away  whatever  is  foreign  to  the  healthy 
body.  He  must  be  no  respecter  of  persons.  False- 
hood he  must  hunt  to  earth,  with  the  scent  of  the 
hound  ;  the  truth  he  may  pass  by  with  silent  assent. 
His  main  concern  is  to  strike  down  whatever,  in  the 
guise  of  truth,  is,  in  his  opinion,  falsehood. 

Ordinarily  I  should  not  hke  this  office,  for  it  is  at 
best  an  ungracious  one  ;  but  to-night  I  am  glad,  very 
glad,  to  hold  it,  and  I  hope  no  one  here  will  take  what 
I  say  as  an  offence,  or  as  a  personal  matter.  And  now 
to  the  subject. 

I  am  not  surprised  at  the  way  in  which  the  members 
of  this  association  have  spoken.  They  but  follow  the 
path  in  which  millions  of  others  have  trod,  not  only  in 
this  country,  but  in  every  country  under  the  sun  and 
from  the  beginning  of  time.  But  who  were  those 
others  ?     Who  but  slaves  ? 

The  last  speaker,  our  honoured  member,  is  a  negro, 


38  Let  There  Be  Light 

a  black  man.  He  will,  no  doubt,  tell  you  that  he  is 
free  ;that  Lincoln  forever  burst  asunder  the  shackles 
of  slavery,  and  so  converted  slaves  from  chattels  into 
free  men.  But  is  he  free  for  all  that  ?  Can  he  go  to  a 
theatre,  to  a  hotel,  to  a  restaurant,  to  a  fraternal  or 
social  society,  or  even  to  a  white  man's  church  ? 
Heaven  forbid  !  He  is  a  negro  !  He  is  a  black  man 
and  must  know  his  place.  What  is  that  place  ?  Is  it 
one  of  liberty  ?  Of  fraternity  ?  In  the  name  of  truth, 
tell  me,  is  his  not  a  condition  of  slavery  ?  Need  we  go 
farther  :  need  we  recall  the  harassing  restrictions,  the 
perversions  of  law,  the  barbarous  cruelties  committed 
against  the  people  of  his  race  and  colour  in  certain 
sections  of  the  United  States  ?  Are  they  not  well 
known  to  you?  And  if  these  things  operate  against 
this  people  because  they  are  black,  or  because,  as  he 
says,  "  the  negro  can  as  yet  boast  of  no  exalted  achieve- 
ment in  the  world's  development,"  then  let  me  ask 
you,  is  there  not  a  trace  of  this  same  injustice,  this  same 
ostracism,  practised  in  some  degree  against  another 
people,  the  Jewish  people  ?  Surely  they,  above  all 
others,  can  boast  of  exalted  achievement  in  the  world's 
development  ;  and  you  cannot,  even  if  you  try,  obscure 
it.  Mark  you,  the  people  who  call  the  Jews  a  parasite 
people  are  in  error  ; — are,  in  fact,  themselves  the  para- 
sites. For,  as  you  know,  it  was  this  Hebrew  people 
which  bore  the  fruit  that  served  not  only  for  themselves, 
but  for  the  world  of  Christians  and  Mohammedans  ; 
by  both  and  all  of  whom  it  was  greedily  absorbed. 
And  is  not  this  achievement  enough  ? 

Yet  is  the  Jew  at  times  only  tolerated  ;  and  can  you 
construe  his  position  as  liberty,  as  fraternity,  or  as 
equality  ?  O  Truth,  how  many  and  manifest  are  the 
falsehoods  uttered  in  thy  name  ! 


The  Republic  and  Its  Destiny       39 

And  now,  descendant  of  the  sons  of  Italy,  how  is  it 
with  you  in  this  land  of  equality,  in  this  haven  of 
fraternity  ?  Is  not  your  name  a  by-word  among  us  ? 
Are  we  not  wont  to  call  you  ' '  Dago  ? ' '  And  does 
that  imply  equality,  does  it  imply  fraternity  ?  Yet,  as 
you  yourself  stated  it,  ' '  Did  not  Rome,  from  the  time 
of  Romulus  to  that  of  Augustus,  teach  the  world  more 
about  a  republican  form  of  government  than  did  any 
other  nation  whatever?"  Is  not  that  achievement 
enough  ?  But  the  descendants  of  these  very  Romans 
are,  in  this  land  of  liberty  and  equality,  what  ?  Only 
"  Dagos,"  fit  for  ridicule,  for  sport  and  for  ostracism  ! 

But  all  these  things  are  trifles  light  as  air  compared 
to  the  ostracism,  the  inequality  and  the  slavery  sufi^ered 
by  all  of  us  here,  and  by  the  millions  surrounding  us. 
These  manifold  millions  must  hire  themselves  out  in 
order  to  obtain  the  meagre  measure  of  sustenance 
needed  to  keep  them  alive. 

Shall  I  tell  you  how  far  we  are  from  being  free  ?  Do 
you  not  know  ?  Are  there  any  with  minds  so  dulled, 
so  degraded,  that  they  cannot  feel  the  sharp  sting  of 
the  slave-driver's  lash  ?  Slaves  who  can  endure  the 
cutting  frown,  the  cruel  word  and  the  cunning  snare 
of  the  labour-monger,  and  yet  prate  of  liberty,  equality 
and  fraternity,  are  as  base  as  were  the  slaves  in  Judea, 
who,  in  the  year  of  Jubilee,  refused  to  go  forth  free 
when  bidden.  lyike  them,  the  modern  slave  should 
have  his  ear  pierced  by  an  awl  to  the  door-post,  and 
thus  be  declared  slave  forever. 

What  then  can  we  say  of  the  destiny  of  a  govern- 
ment under  which  these  things  take  place  ?  Shall  we 
say  that  it  should  be  perpetuated  ?  I  for  one  cannot. 
We  must  seek  something  higher,  nobler,  grander  and 
freer.     Then  may  we  have  something  to  perpetuate. 


40  Let  There  Be  Light 

Ezra. — It  is  now  in  order  for  me  to  review  what  has 
been  said  ;  and  as  the  honr  is  late,  I  must  be  brief. 

The  composition  of  this  Republic,  and  the  signifi- 
cance of  the  factors  which  have  entered  into  it,  may 
perhaps  be  better  understood  by  a  parable. 

In  a  certain  community,  a  number  of  men  agreed  to 
have  a  festive  gathering.  Each  who  came  was  to  bring 
with  him  some  essential  for  the  feast.  At  the  appointed 
time  they  came,  and  it  happily  occurred  that  whatever 
each  brought  served  to  good  purpose  not  only  for  his 
own  needs,  but  for  the  needs  of  the  others.  And  so  the 
festivity  was  an  occasion  of  much  pleasure.  But  toward 
the  close,  one  who  believed  he  had  been  slighted  in  not 
having  been  honoured  by  a  toast  arose,  and,  complain- 
ing bitterly,  said,  "  Did  I  not  bring  the  bread  ?  What 
kind  of  a  festival  would  this  have  been  without  me  and 
my  bread  ?  "  And  another,  who  also  felt  slighted,  said, 
"  Bread  ye  have  every  day  in  abundance,  but  lo,  I 
brought  cake  and  ices,  and  what  honour  was  shown 
me  ?  "  And  a  third  arose,  sa3nng,  "  Bread  and  pastry 
and  ices  are  good  enough,  no  doubt  ;  but  what  kind 
of  festivity  would  there  have  been  without  my  chickens, 
and  without  my  roast  meats  ?  ' ' 

Then  arose  another  and  said,  "  Bread,  meat  and 
pastry  are  very  good  ;  but  these  without  wine  can 
make  no  banquet,  and  did  I  not  bring  the  wine  ?  " 

Then  said  another,  "  What  are  these  things  at  a 
banquet  if  there  be  no  music  ;  and  behold,  did  I  not 
furnish  the  music  ?  ' '  And  others  yet  arose  and  made 
clamour,  and  the  entire  company  seemed  on  the  point 
of  ending  the  festival  by  fighting. 

At  this  time  there  arose  one  who  had  as  yet  said 
nothing  ;  and  he  rebuked  them  all,  saying,  "  Brethren, 
why   quarrel    ye   one    with    another,    and    why  this 


The  Republic  and  Its  Destiny      41 

contention  ?  Can  quarrelling  do  aught  except  diminish 
pleasure  ?  Behold  now  and  hearken  unto  me,  and  I 
will  tell  you  of  a  way  which  will  lead  to  peace  and  to 
increase  of  pleasure.  Let  each  one  here  speak  to  his 
neighbour  saying,  '  I  thank  thee  for  that  which  thou 
hast  brought,  and  of  which  I  have  joyfully  partaken.'  " 
And  this  saying  found  favour  among  the  assembly  ; 
and  they  said,  each  unto  his  neighbour,  the  saying 
which  they  had  heard  ;  and  behold,  there  were  again 
enjoyment  and  peace. 

We  see  embodied  in  this  nation,  not  only  the  best 
ideas  of  all  nations,  but  the  very  peoples  from  whom 
these  ideas  came.  As  in  an  intricate  and  beautifully 
woven  piece  of  tapestry,  strands  of  diverse  shades  are 
scattered  here  and  there,  all  with  the  end  of  producing 
harmony  of  design  as  a  whole  ;  thus,  it  seems  to  me, 
has  the  All-Artist,  the  Master  Designer,  woven  this 
nation,  with  warp  of  ideas  from  all  races,  and  with 
woof  of  peoples  of  all  nations.  We  have  embodied 
both, — the  ideas  and  the  peoples  ;  and,  as  in  the  par- 
able related,  we  should  say,  each  to  the  other,  "  I 
thank  thee  for  that  which  thou  hast  brought,  and  of 
which  I  have  joyfully  partaken," 

First,  we  should  not  forget  our  indebtedness  to  the 
Germanic  spirit  and  to  the  Germanic  people.  This 
spirit  and  this  people,  in  their  various  blendings  with 
other  races  and  ideas, — and  I  include  the  Anglo-Saxon, 
— are  of  primary  importance  as  a  factor. 

It  was  the  Germanic  race  more  than  any  other  which 
filtered  pessimism  out  of  philosophy,  which  eliminated 
idolatry  from  art,  which  drew  the  thorns  of  bigotry  and 
intolerance  from  religion.  Nor  is  this  all  ;  for  its 
hereditary  and  zealous  love  of  individual  liberty  is  the 
most  potent  of  all  factors  in   the  foundation  of  our 


42  Let  There  Be  Light 

American  institutions.  It  is  this  force,  this  factor, 
which  has  caused  this  nation  to  stand  for  civil,  poHtical 
and  religious  liberty. 

And  next  comes  the  powerful  influence  of  the  French 
people,  who,  if  they  had  produced  nothing  more  than 
the  spirit  of  liberty  embodied  in  the  Marseilles  Hymn, 
would,  for  that  reason  alone,  be  entitled  to  an  exalted 
place  in  the  hearts  of  all  true  lovers  of  liberty. 

So  we  can  begin  from  the  beginning,  and,  bringing 
each  race,  each  nation,  each  people,  in  review,  we  find 
that  whatever  was  good,  whatever  was  exalted  and 
whatever  profitable,  has  been  sifted,  adjusted,  adapted 
and  then  adopted  by  us,  with  the  result  that  this  is  the 
most  nearly  perfect  among  nations  of  the  past  and 
present. 

Shall  we  therefore  say  that  it  has  reached  its  highest 
development  ?  By  no  means.  We  cannot  denj^  that 
there  is  a  large  element  of  truth  in  the  statement  of  the 
censor  of  the  evening.  But  we  need  not  hesitate  to 
assert  that,  with  all  its  defects,  this  is  the  best  govern- 
ment in  the  world  to  meet  the  requirements  of  an  inde- 
pendent and  free  people.  Being  such,  it  is  the  most 
progressive,  and,  being  the  most  progressive,  it  is 
destined  to  be  teacher,  guide,  and  director  of  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth. 

That  it  is  this  even  now,  is  true,  even  if  not  evident 
at  the  first  glance,  as  one  example  will  sufiice  to  show. 
The  countless  letters,  many  of  them  with  remittances, 
sent  by  the  toiling  masses  of  this  country  to  the  millipns 
of  poor  and  oppressed  people  throughout  the  world 
constitute  suggestive  object  lessons  on  free  institutions 
and  free  government.  Such  letters  must  be  a  powerful 
educator  of  vast  bodies  of  people,  an  efi'ective  method 
of  inculcating,  in  the  minds  of  the  recipients,  a  greater 


The  Republic  and  Its  Destiny      43 

respect  for  our  flag  than  for  the  flag  of  their  own 
fatherland.  And  it  may  perhaps  be  this  very  influence 
which  prevents  a  combined  stand  of  monarchic  countries 
against  us. 

If  we  have,  therefore,  as  we  believe,  a  greater  meas- 
ure of  justice  and  equity  among  us,  we  must  in  the  end 
win  this,  the  world's  most  glorious  race.  Such  is  our 
destiny. 

Let  me  now  offer  a  suggestion  to  our  honoured  mem- 
ber, Mr.  Quail.  In  his  presentation  he  said,  "  The 
negro  race  can  as  yet  boast  of  no  exalted  achievement 
in  the  world's  development,"  and  further,  "  For  the 
negro,  his  glory,  if  any,  must  be  of  the  future.  Our 
labour  for  humanity  is  before  us  :  yet  to  be  accom- 
plished." Now  I  like  the  spirit  in  which  that  was 
said.  It  is  optimistic,  and  optimism  needs  but  a  pur- 
pose to  become  enthusiastic  zeal. 

If  I  may  be  permitted  a  remark  outside  the  topic  of 
discussion,  I  would  suggest  to  Mr.  Quail  that  he  in- 
terest his  people,  and  begin  organised  effort  to  establish 
at  Washington,  the  Capitol  of  the  Union,  a  great 
National  Academy  of  Music  for  the  negro  people. 
This  would  be  a  practical  beginning  in  the  domain  of 
highest  achievement,  for  nowhere  can  be  found  better 
raw  material  than  the  negro  for  this  department  of  the 
useful  and  of  the  beautiful  in  art. 

We  all  know  that  the  negro  can  sing,  that  he  has  a 
voice  of  good  quality  and  register,  and  a  correct  ear, 
and  that  his  music  is  melodious  and  sweet.  His  melo- 
dies, moreover,  show  characteristics  derived  from  an- 
cestry prior  to  contact  with  the  western  nations  ;  and 
these  characteristic  melodies,  when  developed  and 
brought  into  relation  with  what  we  have,  may  consti- 
tute a  new  charm  for  lovers  of  this  art.     And  if  the 


44  Let  There  Be  Light 

negro  has  a  story  to  tell,  if  his  heart  desires  communion 
with  the  hearts  of  other  men,  what  better,  easier  vehicle 
than  the  universal  language  of  music  ? 

Thus  given  an  opportunity,  the  negro  may  begin  to 
develop  and  to  achieve,  perchance  to  create,  and  add 
his  share  to  the  common  stock  of  mankind's  exalted 
blessings.  He  may  then  produce  masters  whose  busts 
will  find  a  niche  in  the  temple  of  fame,  or  in  the  homes 
of  lovers  of  art.  Thus  may  the  people,  all  the  people, 
singing  the  song  of  the  negro  classic,  the  creation  of 
the  negro  master  of  music,  forget  their  antagonism 
against  this  race.  And  instead,  may  there  be  generated 
that  spirit  of  amity  toward  the  negro  in  full  accord  with 
the  progressive  trend  of  the  twentieth  century,  with 
the  spirit  and  inclination  of  the  American  people.  We 
may  safely  predict  that  if  the  negro  people  but  make 
an  earnest  effort  in  this  direction,  they  can  count  on  the 
sympathy  and  assistance  of  thousands  of  their  fellow- 
citizens  in  this  countr)',  of  different  races,  creeds, 
colours  and  conditions. 

In  concluding,  I  think  it  proper  to  make  some  ob- 
.servations  on  the  subject  of  boss-rule.  It  is  true  that 
the  subject  does  not  receive  the  attention  its  importance 
demands  ;  but  true  only  because  the  mass  of  the  people 
do  not  seem  to  understand  what  boss-rule  really  means. 

The  people  understand  the  meaning  of  "  deserter" 
and  "  traitor."  These  words  mean  enemies  of  the  Re- 
public, for  whom  the  law  provides  puni.shment.  But 
for  the  boss-rule  manipulators  there  is  no  punishment  ; 
on  the  contrary,  they  are  generally  regarded  with  dis- 
tinguished consideration.  Yet  a  deserter  or  a  traitor 
can  do  this  Republic  far  less  injury  than  is  done  by  a 
boss.  Boss-rule  is  but  another  name  for  rule  contrary 
to  intent.     It  is  the  same,  in  fact,  as  rule  by  coercion. 


The  Republic  and  Its  Destiny      45 

tacitly  assented  to  by  those  ruled.  And  coercive  rule, 
tacitly  assented  to,  is  dangerously  near  to  despotism  or 
slavery. 

Do  the  people  realise  this  ?  Seemingly  not  ;  if  we 
are  to  judge  from  the  feebleness  of  the  efforts  made  to 
remedy  this  evil. 

There  are,  of  course,  some  isolated  and  spasmodic 
efforts  from  time  to  time  directed  against  bosses,  though 
these,  in  the  main,  are  but  the  work  of  opposition 
bosses.  But  the  decline  of  a  boss  or  a  set  of  bosses  is 
one  thing,  and  the  abolition  of  boss-rule  is  another. 

In  addition  to  the  sombre  dramatic  picture  of  national 
subjugation  and  national  degradation  which  this  situa- 
tion presents,  it  has  likewise  its  ludicrous  aspect.  A 
market  man  who  should  neglect  to  guard  against  de- 
predations b}^  dogs,  cats  or  rats,  and  then  should  scold 
the  dogs,  cats  and  rats  for  stealing  his  unguarded  pro- 
visions, would  be  deemed  a  fool.  Yet  it  is  not  any 
wiser  to  permit  the  theft  of  rule,  and  to  end  it  all  by 
scolding  the  thieves,  and  permitting  them  to  continue 
stealing  more  rule. 

Clearly,  boss-rule  is  possible  only  so  long  as  the 
people  permit  a  few  manipulators  to  perform  the  politi- 
cal duties  which  should  be  attended  to  by  all  the  people. 
And  when  political  duties  are  mentioned,  the  majority 
of  persons  are  inclined  to  narrow  the  meaning  of  the 
phrase  to  the  function  of  casting  the  ballot.  This 
function  is,  in  fact,  but  of  secondarj'  importance,  and 
is  subordinate  to  the  selection  of  the  delegate  in  a 
manner  to  correspond  with  the  intent. 

And  right  here  it  should  be  understood  that  the 
character  of  delegates,  as  men,  is  of  far  less  importance 
than  is  the  mode  of  appointing  them.  It  is  safer  and 
more  compatible  with  the  true  intent  of  free  and  repre- 


46  Let  There  Be  Light 

sentative  government,  to  accept  mediocrity  selected 
in  strict  accord  with  intent,  than  to  choose  the  highest 
ability  through  methods  which  are  subversive  of  free 
and  representative  government.  This,  I  take  it,  was  the 
view  of  the  several  speakers  to  whose  observations  and 
suggestions  on  the  subject  we  have  listened  to-night. 

To  what  they  have  said,  I  add  the  further  suggestion 
that  it  might  be  a  safeguard  for  free  representative 
government  to  provide  by  law  for  a  system  of  franchise 
police,  who  should  serve  free  on  election  days,  and  have 
charge  of  all  matters  preservative  of  the  integrity  of  the 
franchise.  Such  police  could  number  several  hundred 
thousand,  for  all  the  United  States  ;  could  be  changed 
often,  and  chosen  from  all  the  ranks  of  the  people. 

I^astly,  let  me  say  that  the  question  of  reforms,  in- 
suring the  integrity  of  the  franchise,  is  important  and 
pertinent  to  our  inquiry,  for  it  may  be  safely  admitted 
that  such  reforms  lie  in  the  path  of  general  ameliora- 
tion. But  that  reforms  in  the  franchise  alone,  and 
nothing  further,  can  bring  amelioration,  I  am  not  pre- 
pared at  this  time  to  admit. 

It  may  be  in  order  to  proceed  with  our  inquiry,  on 
the  lines  originally  laid  down. 

Mr.  Moore. — I  move  that  the  subject  for  our  next 
meeting  be  "  The  Industrial  and  the  Social  Question." 
I  propose  this  subject  because  it  seems  to  me  to  be  next 
in  order,  and  closely  identified  with  the  topic  under 
discussion  to-night. 

Mr.  Valanti. — I  second  the  motion  ;  and,  with  the 
consent  of  the  mover,  add  that  Mr.  Moore  be  the  censor 
for  our  next  meeting. 

The  motion  having  been  amended  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  Mr.  Valanti  as  first  speaker,  the  meeting 
adjourned. 


CHAPTER  VI 


MUST   ONE   vSTAND   IDI.E  ? 


w 


ON'T  you  tell  us  about  the  meeting,  Joseph  ? 


said  Dorothy  next  morning,  as  we  sat  down 
to  breakfast. 

"  About  the  men,  or  what  they  said  ?  " 

"  Both." 

"  Oh,  the  men  were  serious  and  thoughtful,  and  im- 
pressed me  favourably.  I  did  n't  suppose  workingmen 
could  appear  so  well." 

"  But  what  did  they  look  like,  and  what  did  they 
say?" 

"  I  can't  repeat  what  they  said,  but  they  all  seemed 
very  much  in  earnest.  And  their  remarks  were  per- 
haps more  intelligent  than  might  be  expected  from  an 
equal  number  of  our  own  friends,  taken  at  random.  I 
can  thank  them  for  an  instructive  evening."  And  I 
described  the  appearance  of  the  men  as  well  as  I  could, 
to  the  seeming  edification  not  only  of  Dorothy,  but  of 
my  aunt  and  uncle,  who  had  by  this  time  become 
listeners. 

"  And  now,"  I  added,  "  as  the  report  must  be  nearly 
type  written,  if  you  all  really  want  to  hear  it,  and  will 
come  into  the  librarj^  we  can  read  it." 

"  But,"  persisted  Dorothy,  "  did  n't  they  have  beer 

47 


48  Let  There  Be  Light 

at  this  meeting,  and  garlic,  and  sour-kraut,  and  boiled 
pork,  and  rye  bread  ?  And  did  n't  you  all  smoke  clay 
pipes  ?  You  must  have  seen  some  interesting  slum-life, 
a  wake,  or  sweat-shops,  or  something.  What  kind  of 
slang  did  they  use  ?  " 

"  I  regret  to  confess,"  I  replied,  "  that  I  had  none 
of  these  interesting  experiences.  The  men  seemed 
much  like  other  men." 

"  So  I  suppose,  in  a  way, — two  ej'es,  two  ears,  and 
so  forth.  But  what  were  the  real  differences  ?  How 
were  they  different  from  us,  Joseph  ?  Come,  tell  us,  it 
will  be  so  interesting  !  " 

"  I  might  pick  out  some  little  characteristics  that 
would  amuse  you,"  said  I,  "  but  now  that  I  've  seen 
the  men  I  feel  that  would  be  unkind.  It  has  no  real 
bearing  on  their  merit.  You  must  remember  that  people 
who  live  in  tenement  houses  are  as  eflfectually  shut  off 
from  contact  socially  with  us  as  if  they  lived  at  the 
north  pole  and  we  at  the  south.  We  are  surprised  on 
reading  of  the  severity  of  the  Romish  decree  of  excom- 
munication in  times  when  that  church  exercised  ils 
greatest  power.  But  I  fail  to  see  how  our  ban  of  social 
excommunication  is  less  restrictive." 

"  So  you  have  turned  socialist,  have  you,  after  all  ?  " 
exclaimed  my  uncle.     "  Perhaps  anarchist  too  !  " 

"  You  'd  better  search  him.  Uncle,"  laughed 
Dorothy.  "  He  may  have  some  dynamite  bombs  con- 
cealed about  him.  Or  you  might  meet  him  half-way, 
and  do  what  you  're  able  to  break  down  social  barriers. 
Invite  his  new  acquaintances  to  one  of  our  receptions. 
Our  friends  will  be  pleased  to  know  all  the  Irish  hod- 
carriers,  German  pretzel-bakers,  Jewish  sweat-shop 
tailors,  Italian  organ-grinders,  negro  whitewashers, 
Danish  sailors  and  American  Bowery  boys  !  " 


Must  One  Stand  Idle?  49 

"Joseph,"  said  1113^  uncle,  "  there  's  only  one  other 
kind  of  man  your  club  needs,  to  make  the  happy  family 
complete,  and  that  's  a  Chinaman." 

I  replied  to  this  badinage  by  a  smile,  and  devoted 
myself  to  my  breakfast. 

When  breakfast  was  concluded,  all  gathered  in  the 
library  to  listen  to  the  report,  which  I  read  through 
without  interruption  or  comment.  At  the  conclusion, 
as  no  one  spoke,  I  said, 

"  Well,  what  do  you  think  of  it  ?  " 

"  The  speeches  seem  harmless,"  replied  my  uncle, 
between  the  whiffs  of  his  cigar  ;  "  but  then,  it 's  hardly 
fair  to  judge  by  this  session.  They  are  evidently 
warming  up,  and  next  meeting  there  may  be  enough 
communism  and  anarchy  to  satisfy  even  Herr  Most. 
The  literary  style,  however,  is  naturally  weak  and 
amateurish.  Fisher  seems  to  be  a  dyspeptic,  and  the 
other  fiv^e  show  about  the  average  ability  of  grammar- 
school  pupils." 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Morton  !  "  cried  Dorothy.  "  How  can  you 
say  so  ?  For  my  part,  I  think  the  speeches  are  very 
good  indeed,  considering  they  were  made  by  tenement- 
house  people.  Some  of  them  are  quite  original.  And 
what  exalted  patriotism  !  Besides,  there  are  some 
excellent  suggestions." 

"  No  suggestions  worth  consideration,"  said  my 
uncle.     "  And  where  is  the  originality  ?  " 

"  I  am  sure,"  Aunt  Barbara  remarked,  "  there  was 
one  valuable  suggestion,  and  that  an  original  one, — the 
National  Academy  of  Music  for  negroes  at  Washington. 
That  would  surely  tend  to  elevate  the  coloured  people." 

"  And  what  an  appropriate  parable  that  was,"  said 
Dorothy,  "  illustrating  the  contributions  which  dififerent 
races  have  made  to  the  Republic  I  ' ' 


50  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  Very  well,"  replied  1113'  uncle  ;  "  but  why  go  to  the 
slums  for  all  this,  when  history  and  sociology  can  be 
studied  so  much  better  right  in  this  library  ?  " 

"  So  you  suggested  the  other  day,"  said  I,  "  and  I 
adopted  your  suggestion,  and  have  since  put  in  some 
time  among  these  books.  But  do  the  books  generally 
give  a  correct  impression  ?  For  instance,  let  me  show 
you  one  author's  opinion  on  that  question." 

And  going  to  the  bookcase,  I  took  up  Thorold 
Rogers's  The  Economic  Interpretation  of  History^ 
"  Here,  Dorothy,"  I  said,  "  won't  you  read  on  page 
310,  the  last  paragraph  ?  " 

So  Dorothy  read  : 

"Most  writers  on  political  economy  have  been  persons  in 
easy  circumstances,  or  have  been  intimates  of  those  who  are 
in  easy  circumstances.  They  have  witnessed,  with  interested 
or  sympathetic  satisfaction,  thegrowth  of  wealth  in  the  class  to 
which  they  belong,  or  with  which  they  have  been  familiar.  In 
their  eyes  the  poverty  of  industry  has  been  a  puzzle,  a  nuis- 
ance, a  problem,  a  social  crime.  They  have  every  sympathy 
with  the  man  who  wins  and  saves,  no  matter  how,  but  they 
have  not  been  very  considerate  for  the  man  who  works.  They 
lecture  the  poor  on  their  improvidence,  their  recklessness,  on 
the  waste  of  their  habits.  But  I  have  never  read  any  of  their 
works  in  which  they  have  raised  the  question  as  to  whether 
these  traits  in  the  character  of  workmen,  assuming  them  to  be 
true,  are  not  historically  traceable  to  some  manipulation  of  the 
processes  by  which  wealth  is  distributed,  processes  which  they 
candidly  and  truly  inform  you  are  of  human  institution  only." 

My  uncle  threw  away  his  cigar  as  she  finished  read- 
ing. 

"  All  this  talk  about  classes  is  nonsense,"  said  he. 
"  We  have  no  classes  in  this  countrJ^  The  poorest 
workingman  has  a  chance  to  become  rich,  and  the 
richest  man  may  become  poor." 


Must  One  Stand  Idle?  51 

"  True,"  I  remarked;  "  but  also  true  of  the  China- 
man and  the  Russian.  Is  there  a  more  equitable  basis 
for  the  distribution  of  wealth  in  America  than  there  is 
in  China  or  Russia  ?  " 

"  I  seem  to  be  in  the  minority  here,"  said  Uncle 
Harry,  with  a  smile,  "  and  quite  unpopular  ;  but  still 
I  wish  to  observe  that  there  is  a  vast  difference  between 
this  country  and  those  you  name.  There  is  hardly  a 
comparison  to  be  made  between  them.  This  country 
has  many  more  opportunities.  Here,  every  man  can 
be  the  architect  of  his  own  fortune,  and  can  climb  for 
himself.  No  better  evidence  of  this  need  be  offered 
than  the  fact  that,  while  few  Americans  go  abroad  to 
seek  their  fortunes,  millions  of  foreigners  come  to  this 
country  for  that  purpose. 

"  If  among  these  millions  of  immigrants  there  is  a 
large  proportion  of  shiftless,  careless  and  improvident 
riff-raff,  are  we  to  blame  ?  Is  it  your  business  or  mine 
to  wander  through  the  land  and  hunt  them  up,  in  order 
to  ameliorate  their  self-chosen  lot  of  poverty  ?  As  well 
try  to  balance  on  your  finger  a  ten-foot  fish  pole,  small 
end  down.  You  might  cure  one  of  laziness,  but  not  of 
drunkenness  ;  another  of  violent  temper,  but  not  of  ex- 
travagance ;  and  so  on  through  the  entire  gamut  of 
causes  that  breed  incompetency  and  poverty.  In 
merchandise  what  is  damaged  or  out  of  date  is  offered 
for  sale  as  a  job-lot,  below  cost.  Just  so  with  the  in- 
competent portion  of  humanity.  They  are  the  social 
'  job-lots,'  and  such  they  will  ever  be." 

"  I  confess,"  said  Dorothy,  "  that  I  am  much  in- 
terested. But  what  we  read  gives  one  side  of  the 
question,  and  what  you  say  gives  another.  I  should 
like  to  study  it." 

"  The  books  are  here,"  replied  my  uncle. 


52  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  Yes,  but  I  detest  books  on  political  economy; 
they  are  so  filled  with  statistics  and  things  I  don't 
understand.  I  might  as  well  try  to  read  Hebrew.  If 
I  were  a  man,  I  should  try  to  get  my  information  first 
hand,  from  the  workingmen,  as  Joseph  is  doing." 

' '  And  what  would  you  do  with  the  information  when 
you  got  it  ?  "  asked  my  uncle. 

"  Well,"  said  Dorothy,  "  that  would  depend  on  what 
it  was.  If  I  found  any  injustice  which  I  could  remedy, 
ought  I  not  to  try  to  remedy  it  ?  " 

"  Would  you  be  ready  to  pay  the  penalty  ?  "  said  my 
uncle. 

"  I  don't  understand,"  Dorothy  replied. 

"  No,"  my  uncle  rejoined,  "  neither  j'ou  nor  Joseph 
have  any  conception  of  the  matter.  Just  let  the  world 
jog  along.  Don't  trj^  to  set  it  a  new  pace.  You  can 
find  many  pleasanter  and  more  profitable  things  to  do. 
Other  people  have  tried,  and  have  had  their  pains  for 
their  reward,  most  of  them.  Ridicule  greets  you  at  the 
outset,  and  if  you  persist  you  are  a  crank.  Success 
means  a  crown  of  thorns.  But  if  you  both  are  bubbling 
over  with  benevolence  and  zeal  to  do  something,  then 
take  money  and  give  it,  but  give  through  trustworthy 
agents,  who  will  take  the  burden  of  pouring  into  the 
open  palms  ever  eager  to  receive  it,  whatever  sum  you 
set  aside  for  charity.  And  as  I  love  you  both,  let  me 
beg  you  to  beware  that  dangerous,  treacherous,  thank- 
less apparition  called  '  reform,'  which  has  led  so  many 
men  to  ruin." 

"  Why,"  said  Dorothy,  "  must  one  stand  idle  because 
he  fears  harm  or  loves  ease  ?  Shall  he  confess  himself 
a  slave  ?  " 

"  This  same  thought,"  I  interposed,  *'  took  me  to 
last  night's  club  meeting.     And  I  shall  go  again." 


Must  One  Stand  Idle?  53 

"  And  so  would  I,  if  I  were  a  man,"  said  Dorothy. 

"  How  is  the  world  to  progress,"  I  asked,  "  if  we  are 
satisfied  to  let  things  alone  and  think  only  of  our- 
selves ? ' ' 

' '  Does  the  responsibility  for  the  world's  progress  rest 
on  you  ?  "  said  my  uncle.  "  The  trouble  lies  in  your 
tenacity.  You  are  as  stubborn  as  your  father  was,  only 
he  was  much  more  practical.  Chance  has  led  you 
among  a  set  of  professional  agitators.  You  are  asked 
to  have  nothing  more  to  do  with  them,  and  you  reply 
that  you  value  liberty.  Has  anyone  suggested  depriv- 
ing you  of  your  liberty  ?  Suppose  a  while  ago  I  had 
asked  you  to  hob-nob  with  day-labourers,  to  go  about 
in  the  slums,  and  to  take  up  practical  philanthropy  ? 
Who  would  have  been  the  objector? 

"  To  illustrate  what  I  mean,  let  me  tell  you  this. 
You  have  played  at  see-saw  when  you  were  a  child. 
You  know  that  two  children  can  sit  still  on  opposite 
ends  of  the  plank  balancing,  and  there  is  no  motion, — 
they  get  no  ride.  But  let  each  alternately  change 
his  position  and  they  ride  ;  first  one  is  up,  then  the 
other.  Now  suppose  labour  on  one  end  of  the  plank 
and  capital  on  the  other  ;  then  comes  movement  in  the 
industrial  and  commercial  world.  But  these  brainless 
agitators  and  socialists  want  labour  and  capital  to  bal- 
ance. There  is  an  end  of  movement.  Capital  and 
industry  cease  to  exist  for  any  purpose,  and  we  relapse 
from  civilisation  into  barbarism." 

"  But,"  .said  I,  "  is  the  illustration  a  fair  one?  I 
should  rather  suppose  two  children  playing  at  donkey 
cart,  one  the  donkey,  one  the  driver.  One  whips  and 
drives,  the  other  is  whipped  and  driven." 

"  As  you  will,"  replied  my  uncle.  "  You  have  your 
choice  of  being  donkey  or  driver. 


54  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  And,  to  speak  more  directly  to  the  point,"  he  added, 
"  consider  your  own  interest.  You  have  a  fair  income, 
but  you  spend  nearly  all  of  it,  interest  and  profit.  You 
are  not  accumulating  money.  You  are  about  to  marry, 
and  will  hardly  need  less  money  married  than  single. 
Will  you  take  any  step  that  will  materially  reduce  your 
income  at  a  time  when  you  need  it  most  ?  " 

"  How  will  mere  attendance  at  these  meetings,  or 
interest  in  these  questions,  constitute  such  a  step  ?  "  I 
asked. 

"  In  this  way,"  replied  my  uncle.  "  Your  invest- 
ments are  largely  in  dwelling-houses  and  in  lots  on 
which  you  propose  to  build.  Much  of  the  property  is 
in  the  poorer  sections  of  the  city,  and  some  of  it  in  the 
poorest.  Up  to  this  time  the  rents  have  been  success- 
fully collected,  and  such  evicting  as  was  necessary  has 
been  done, — all  by  j^our  real  estate  agent.  Now  let  it 
once  be  known  that  5'ou  are  a  philanthropist,  a  friend 
of  labour,  and  you  will  have  no  trouble  in  renting  your 
tenements  ;  they  will  all  be  occupied.  But  as  to  collect- 
ing 5'our  rents,  that  will  be  another  matter.  Nor  can 
you,  in  your  new  attitude,  do  any  evicting.  And  when 
it  comes  to  building  there  will  be  no  end  of  trouble. 
Once  get  the  reputation  of  being  a  friend  of  labour, 
and  scrub  contractors  will  play  their  familiar  tricks  on 
you,  until  in  time  you  find  that  all  this  meddling  has 
cost  you  a  third  or  half  your  income." 

"  But,  Uncle,"  said  Dorothy,  "  when  we  are  married 
Joseph  can  have  my  income  too,  and  that  will  make  it 
up." 

"  Even  so,  Doroth)-,"  said  my  uncle,  "  w^hy  should 
Joseph  reduce  his  net  income  from  six  to  three  per  cent, 
on  his  investment?  What  a  difference  there  is,"  he 
added    reflectively,    "  between   this  and   the   pioneer 


Must  One  Stand  Idle  ?  55 

generation  !  Do  you  think  my  brother  and  I,  at  your 
age,  spent  our  time  in  theorising?  No,  sir!  We 
rolled  up  our  sleeves  and  set  to  work,  and  as  a  result 
we  attained  to  something.  You,  Joseph,  with  your 
advantages,  and  with  equal  energy,  ought  to  become  a 
multi-millionaire. ' ' 

"  I  have  no  ambition  for  any  material  increase  of 
wealth,"  I  replied.  "  And  as  the  club  which  has 
caused  all  this  discussion  is  not  a  labour  organisation 
at  all,  but  simply  an  association  of  ordinary  men  who 
are  studying,  as  best  they  can,  various  social  questions, 
I  fail  to  see  how  my  slight  connection  with  them  will 
bring  about  the  results  you  predict.  Besides,  why  not 
enter  this  field  of  action  if  it  proves  as  congenial  to  my 
tastes  as  money-making  was  to  yours  ?  What  pleasure 
in  accumulating  without  real  need  or  desire  for  ac- 
cumulation ?  May  not  investigation  result  in  ultimate 
good  ?  And  may  not  the  ultimate  good  be  worth  more 
than  the  money  it  has  cost  ?  " 

My  uncle  sighed,  but  made  no  reply,  and  the  dis- 
cussion ceased  for  the  time  being. 


CHAPTER  VII 


THE   EVICTION 


THE  first  visitor  to  enter  the  library  the  following 
day  was  Dorothy,  who  walked  gravely  in,  took  a 
seat  near  me,  and  said,  "  Now,  Joseph,  tell  me  some- 
thing about  evictions." 

"  What  is  it  you  want  to  know  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Everything.  You  remember,  yesterday  Mr.  Mor- 
ton talked  about  '  necessary  evictions.'  What  are 
they?" 

"  Now  that  you  mention  it,"  said  I,  "  you  remind 
me  that  I  don't  know,  except  in  the  most  general  way. 
I  have  never  been  brought  into  contact  with  the 
tenants.     This  is  all  done  by  the  agent." 

"  But  I  thought  they  only  had  evictions  in  Ireland." 

"  Well,  it  seems  they  have  them  here  too." 

"  Joseph,"  urged  Dorothy,  "  if  they  have  evictions 
here,  and  on  your  property,  it  must  be  done  for  you 
and  in  your  name,  and  I  should  think  you  would  want 
to  know  all  about  it." 

"So  I  do,"  said  I,  "  though  the  subject  has  never 
occurred  to  me.  And  I  suppose  the  best  way  is  to  go 
down  to  the  agent's  office  and  find  out." 

"  May  I  go  with  you  ?  "  Dorothy  asked. 
56 


The  Eviction  57 

"  Why,  yes,  of  course,"  I  replied;  "  I  should  be  glad 
to  have  you  come." 

We  lost  no  time  in  starting  on  our  errand,  but  left 
the  house,  took  the  car,  and  in  a  few  minutes  had  dis- 
embarked at  Broadway  and  Twentj^-third  Street,  and 
entered  the  office  of  the  agent.  He  came  forward, 
greeted  us,  and  invited  us  into  his  private  office. 

"  What  can  I  do  for  you  to-day,  Mr.  Morton  ?  "  said 
he. 

"  I  want  some  information,"  I  replied,  "  about  my 
tenement  properties. ' ' 

"  Well,"  he  said,  opening  a  book  containing  maps 
of  blocks  of  houses,  "  here  is  your  Houston  Street 
property.  That  is  in  first-rate  shape, — the  expenses  for 
repairs  are  down  to  a  minimum,  and  we  have  pushed 
the  rents  up  as  high  as  we  can  get  them.  I  can't  say 
quite  so  much  for  your  Bleecker  Street  and  Christopher 
Street  properties." 

' '  How  about  evictions  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  We  seldom  have  any.  I  am  very  fortunate  in  that 
respect." 

"  How  fortunate  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  don't  like  to  brag.  I  would  rather  show 
my  ability  by  the  rents  I  turn  over  to  my  clients.  I 
think  your  uncle  appreciates  what  I  do  in  that  direc- 
tion." 

"  No  doubt  I  shall  appreciate  it  equally,"  said  I, 
"  when  I  become  more  familiar  with  the  details." 

"  You  see  the  results  of  the  details  in  the  rents,"  re- 
plied the  agent.  "  These  tenements  are  bringing  in 
higher  interest  than  Fifth  Avenue  property." 

"That  may  be,"  I  said.  "But  what  about  the 
evictions  ?  " 

"  There  is  little  to  tell.     I  have  so  few." 


58  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  How  do  you  manage  it  ?  " 

"  Well,"  answered  the  agent,  "  that  is  one  of  the 
arts  of  the  business.  First  is  the  choice  of  tenants.  I 
select  only  those  I  believe  to  be  sure  pay.  Then  there 
is  the  style  of  collecting.  There  is  where  skill  comes 
in.  Just  let  a  collector  show  a  weak  front,  let  him 
have  a  soft  head,  and  listen  to  the  thousand  and  one 
excuses,  and  there  's  no  rent  paying.  The  secret  is  to 
have  a  determined  front,  deaf  ears,  and  eyes  that  see 
only  rent  in  full  on  the  day  it  's  due.  Now  to-day,  at 
two  o'clock,  in  this  tenement," — pointing  to  the  map 
— ' '  we  evict  a  family.  First  eviction  in  three  months  ; 
but  out  they  go  at  two  p.m." 

The  agent's  manner  indicated  the  pride  he  felt  in  his 
professional  skill,  which  he  evidently  expected  to  have 
its  due  effect  upon  me.  I  thanked  him  for  his  inform- 
ation, he  expressed  his  appreciation  of  the  trust  reposed 
in  him,  and  I  took  my  leave. 

"Joseph,"  said  Dorothy,  when  we  were  outside, 
' '  did  you  notice  the  address  ?  ' ' 

"  Of  the  eviction  ?  "  I  asked.  "  Yes,  Houston  Street, 
near  Orchard." 

' '  Let  us  go  there. ' ' 

"  Very  well,"  I  replied,  "  but  3'ou  won't  like  the 
neighbourhood." 

We  walked  to  Fourth  Avenue,  took  a  car  to  the 
corner  of  Houston  Street  and  the  Bowery,  and  then 
proceeded  down  Houston  Street  to  the  corner  of 
Orchard.  I  had  not  often  seen  this  property,  but  I 
had  a  general  recollection  of  its  location.  On  directing 
our  steps  toward  it,  we  observed,  near  the  entrance  to 
the  house,  a  number  of  children  and  grown  persons, 
perhaps  a  dozen  in  all,  grouped  in  a  semicircle  on  the 
sidewalk   and   street.       In   the   centre   of  the   group, 


The  Eviction  59 

seated  beside  a  pile  of  household  furniture,  was  a  girl 
of  ten,  sobbing,  as  she  slowly  tied  together  the  corners 
of  a  handkerchief  in  which  lay  some  personal  belong- 
ings. Beside  her,  a  child  of  three  or  four  was  playing 
contentedly  among  tins  and  frying-pans,  while  a  boy, 
a  few  years  older,  stood  disconsolate,  bawling  loudly, 
with  his  two  dirty  fists  pressed  against  his  face. 

The  crowd  gave  way  a  moment,  and  out  from  the 
hallway  came  two  men,  bearing  a  stove,  which  they 
added  to  the  collection  on  the  sidewalk.  This  collec- 
tion seemed  now  to  be  complete,  for  the  two  men,  after 
setting  down  the  stove,  pulled  off  their  hats,  wiped 
their  foreheads,  and  moved  away  toward  Orchard 
Street.  Last,  there  came  from  the  hall  door  a  middle- 
aged  woman,  apparently  a  German.  A  rusty  black 
shawl  was  drawn  over  her  head  and  shoulders,  and 
over  a  bundle  which  she  carried  in  her  arms.  A  few 
plaintive  cries,  coming  from  under  the  shawl,  showed 
that  she  was  carrying  an  infant.  The  woman  gazed 
about  her,  saying  nothing,  and  apparently  not  noticing 
the  crowd,  which  had  by  this  time  increased.  Walking 
with  uncertain  steps  to  the  edge  of  the  sidewalk,  she 
sat  down  on  the  curb,  bent  her  head,  and,  drawing 
forward  the  shawl  so  as  almost  to  hide  her  countenance, 
she  rocked  slowly  back  and  forth,  singing — or  moaning 
— in  a  low  voice,  what  seemed  to  be  a  song  to  the  infant 
in  her  arms. 

At  the  corner  of  the  street  a  policeman  had  been 
standing.  He  now  sauntered  down  toward  the  crowd, 
stopped  at  the  pile  of  household  goods  on  the  side- 
walk, then  walked  toward  the  woman  and  touched  her 
on  the  shoulder. 

"  Here,"  said  he.  "  You  must  take  these  things 
oflf  the  sidewalk." 


6o  Let  There  Be  Light 

The  woman  drew  back  her  shawl,  and  looked  up  at 
the  policeman  blankly. 

"  These  things  have  got  to  get  oiF  the  sidewalk," 
said  he.  "Do  you  understand?  And  you,  too,  or 
I  '11  have  to  take  you  along." 

One  of  the  men  who  had  been  standing  in  the  crowd, 
— a  thick-set  man,  hatless,  in  his  shirt-sleeves,  and 
smoking  a  pipe, — walked  up  to  the  policeman. 

"  Officer,"  he  said,  "  wait  a  minute.  Let  's  see 
if  we  can't  fix  this  up  for  her."  Then  turning,  he 
walked  back  to  the  crowd  and  said  :  "  Friends,  this  is 
none  of  our  affairs,  but  her  husband  is  in  the  hospital. 
Can  we  raise  enough  to  put  her  back  in  the  house? 
Does  anybody  want  to  put  in  with  me  ?  Here  's  mine." 
And  he  took  from  his  pocket  a  half-dollar. 

Doroth}-  had  been  much  moved.  "  How  pitiful  !  " 
she  said,  "  I  am  going  over  to  her." 

"  No,"  said  I,  "  not  yet.  Wait  and  see  what  hap- 
pens." 

Glancing  about  me  I  observed,  among  the  persons 
who,  attracted  b}'  the  crowd,  were  moving  down  from 
Houston  Street,  a  figure  that  seemed  familiar.  It  was 
my  friend  Bradley,  the  plumber,  in  his  working  clothes, 
and  carrying  on  his  shoulder  a  bag  of  tools.  He  bowed 
and  was  about  to  pass  us  without  speaking,  when  I 
stopped  him. 

"  Mr.  Bradley,"  I  said,  "  have  j-ou  a  minute  or  two 
to  devote  to  a  little  work  of  humanity  on  my  account  ?  " 

"  By  all  means,  Mr.  Morton,"  he  replied. 

"  Then  will  you  go  over  and  find  out  how  much  bal- 
ance is  needed  to  pay  that  woman's  rent  and  put  her 
back  in  her  rooms  ?  I  want  to  contribute  what  is 
needed,  but  I  prefer  not  to  appear." 

Bradley  went  over,  interviewed  the  hatless  man,  who 


The  Eviction  6i 

was  still  collecting  subscriptions,  spoke  to  the  police- 
man, and  disappeared  into  the  building.  Shortly  he 
came  back  with  a  report. 

' '  The  amount  due  for  rent  is  ten  dollars.  The  crowd 
has  so  far  raised  about  four  dollars  and  a  half.  But  the 
collector,  who  is  still  in  the  building,  refuses  to  accept 
the  money  even  if  all  of  it  is  offered.  He  says  he  can't 
afford  to  take  back  an  evicted  tenant,  and  anyway  he  is 
not  sure  she  will  be  able  to  pay  the  next  month's  rent." 

"  Thank  you,  Mr.  Bradley,"  I  said.  "  I  shall  have 
to  attend  to  it  myself  then." 

So  saying,  I  walked  over  to  the  house,  accompanied 
by  Dorothy,  whose  changing  expressions  had  shown 
the  sympathetic  interest  she  took.  We  ascended  two 
flights  of  stairs,  and  met  on  the  landing  a  man,  evi- 
dently the  collector,  who  was  in  the  act  of  locking  the 
door  of  one  of  the  tenements. 

"  Here  is  the  money  for  that  woman's  rent,"  I  said, 
addressing  him  and  offering  a  ten-dollar  bill.  "  I  want 
you  to  put  her  right  back." 

' '  Since  when  do  I  take  orders  from  you  ? "  he  re- 
plied. 

"  You  will  take  them  now,"  said  I.  "I  happen  to 
be  the  owner  of  the  building." 

The  man  looked  at  me  sullenly.  "  I  got  my  orders 
from  my  employer,"  he  said,  "  and  my  orders  were  to 
put  these  people  out.  If  there  's  anything  different 
you  '11  have  to  fix  it  with  him." 

"  Come  with  me  to  the  telephone,"  I  answered. 

We  all  went  out,  through  the  crowd  of  staring 
spectators  to  the  drug  store,  where,  going  to  the  tele- 
phone, I  called  up  the  agent  at  his  office. 

"I  am  Mr.  Morton,"  said  I,  "  and  I  am  near  my 
Houston  Street  tenement.    The  woman  you  evicted  has 


62  Let  There  Be  Light 

now  tendered  the  rent  due,  and  I  want  you  to  instruct 
your  collector  to  accept  the  money  and  put  her  back." 

"  The  collector  will  accept,  in  our  name,  any  orders 
you  give  him  about  your  property,  Mr.  Morton,"  came 
the  answer  ;  "  but  I  wish  you  would  find  time  to  call 
here  soon  on  the  same  matter. ' ' 

"  Very  well,"  I  replied. 

As  soon  as  the  collector  had  received  his  orders  he 
followed  us  to  the  door  of  the  tenement  building, 
where,  amid  the  grins  of  the  crowd,  he  accepted  the 
ten-dollar  bill  from  me,  signed  a  receipt  for  it,  and 
handed  over  the  key. 

"  This  has  been  a  bad  day's  work  for  you,  sir,"  were 
his  last  words,  as  he  walked  away. 

I  approached  the  German  woman,  who  was  standing 
bewildered  near  the  curb,  and  offered  her  the  key. 
She  gazed  at  me  for  an  instant,  stretched  out  her  hand 
toward  me,  theri  suddenly  dropped  it,  turned  away 
and  burst  into  weeping.  I  gave  the  key  to  the  ten- 
year-old  girl,  who  smiled,  laughed,  took  it  and  darted 
into  the  house. 

The  hatless  man  approached,  his  hand  full  of  silver, 
which  he  offered  to  me.  I  shook  my  head.  He  looked 
toward  the  crowd. 

"  Here,"  said  he.  "  Anybody  that  wants  his  money, 
come  up  and  get  it.  If  there  's  any  left  I  '11  give  it  to 
her."  And,  having  waited  long  enough  to  see  that 
the  crowd  made  no  movement  to  recover  its  gift,  he 
went  up  to  the  German  woman.  "  It  's  all  right,"  he 
said,  pouring  the  silver  into  her  lap.  "  Now  we  '11 
move  you  back.  What  goes  first,  the  stove  ?  "  And 
he  grasped  it,  raised  it  half  from  the  sidewalk,  and 
looked  around  for  help.  Bradley,  who  was  one  of  the 
nearest  to  him,  put  down  his  bag  of  tools  and  seized 


The  Eviction  63 

tlie  other  side  of  the  stove,  which  was  quickly  on  its 
way  upstairs.  Other  men  stepped  forward  from  the 
crowd,  and  it  was  evident  that  the  stock  of  household 
goods  would  soon  be  back  in  the  accustomed  places. 
Dorothy  and  I  turned  away. 

"  Joseph,"  she  said,  "  it  was  splendid,  was  n't  it  ?  " 

"  It  does  seem  splendid  to  have  prevented  injustice, 
and  to  have  turned  a  family's  misery  into  happiness," 
said  I.  "At  least  we  think  so.  But  there  is  probably 
one  man  who  won't  agree  with  us, — the  agent.  We 
can  stop  and  see  him  now  if  you  like.  I  suppose  he 
will  strongly  object  to  our  action  in  the  matter." 

The  agent  came  forward  with  an  air  of  great  polite- 
ness when  we  were  announced.  A  smile  of  superiority 
and  pity  seemed  to  play  upon  his  countenance  as  we 
seated  ounselves  in  his  private  office  ;  and  he  began  : 

"  Mr.  Morton,  I  congratulate  you  on  the  sympathy 
you  show  for  your  delinquent  tenants.  I  assure  you, 
I  have  very  few  clients  who  would  allow  such  a  feeling 
to  upset  their  whole  system  of  rent  collecting.  I  am 
afraid  I  don't  quite  understand  what  your  policy  is  to 
be,  and  I  took  the  liberty  of  asking  you  to  call,  so  that 
we  might  come  to  some  understanding." 

"  I  have  formulated  no  policy,"  I  said,  "  and  I 
certainly  want  my  rents  collected.  But  I  would  as 
certainly  rescue  any  unfortunate  woman  from  the 
clutches  of  a  brutal  evictor,  and  be  glad  of  the  chance. 
I  suppose  you  were  ignorant  of  the  circumstances  of 
the  case,  and  did  n't  know  the  poor  woman's  husband 
was  sick  in  the  hospital." 

"  Yes,  we  knew  it,"  replied  the  agent.  "  We  knew 
the  circumstances.  The  man  is  sober,  and  prompt 
when  he  has  work." 

"  Then  why  not  take  that  into  consideration  ?  " 


64  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  We  did." 

"How?" 

"  Well,  if  it  were  only  a  question  of  that  particular 
tenant,  we  might  let  it  go.  But  we  have  to  consider 
the  effect  on  the  others,  and  to-day's  eviction  would 
have  been  a  most  excellent  example.  It  would  have 
shown  those  people  that  no  excuse  is  good  on  rent  day. 
If  they  understand  the  owner  interfered  with  the  col- 
lector, and  ordered  an  evicted  tenant  put  back,  there  's 
an  end  of  rent  in  that  quarter." 

"  What  would  the  poor  woman  have  done,"  I  asked, 
"  left  in  the  street  with  her  three  small  children  ?  " 

"  What  will  you  do  with  them  next  month  if  they 
don't  pay  their  rent?"  asked  the  agent.  "Or  six 
mouths  or  a  year  from  now  ?  You  are  out  ten  dollars 
already,  and  that  's  the  least  of  it.  I  don't  suppose 
you  are  going  to  turn  your  properties  into  charitable 
institutions.  A  man  can  do  his  duty  toward  unfortun- 
ate humanity  by  contributing  to  the  regular  charitable 
organisations,  as  I  do,  as  the  collector,  who  you  said 
was  brutal,  perhaps  does.  But  every  man  who  knows 
anything  about  business  must  understand  where  charity 
ends  and  business  begins.  Now  of  course  you  see  that 
if  our  regular  methods  are  to  be  upset  as  they  have  been 
to-day,  why  naturally  there  's  no  use  in  our  attempting 
to  manage  your  collections.  In  fact  we  should  hardly 
care  to.  It  would  injure  our  business  reputation.  I 
would  suggest,  if  I  may,  that  you  talk  the  matter  over 
with  5'our  uncle,  who  is  a  thorough  business  man.  He 
is  familiar  with  our  methods,  and  can  give  you  inform- 
ation that  otherwise  you  may  have  to  get  by  costly  and 
bitter  experience." 

"  Thank  you,  I  will  consider  it,"  said  I,  as  Dorothy 
and  I  look  our  leave. 


CHAPTER  VIII 


HUMANITY   AND   BUSINESS. 


WHEN  we  were  once  more  in  the  library,  Dorothy, 
who  during  the  journey  home  had  been  silent 
and  abstracted,  did  not  sit  down,  but  paced  backward 
and  forward,  until,  suddenly  stopping,  she  looked  into 
my  face,  and  said,  "  No,  I  can't  make  them  fit-." 

"  Make  what  fit  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  Humanity  and  business." 

"  Nor  can  I." 

"  When  I  listen  to  your  uncle  and  the  real  estate 
agent,  and  hear  the  business  side,  it  seems  reasonable, 

they  seem  right.     But  when  I  try  to  harmonise  their 

principles  with  Christianity,  and  compare  their  standard 
with  what  ought  to  be  the  standard  of  a  Christian, 
there  is  a  great  gap  I  can't  explain.  I  wish  I  could, 
but  they  don't  fit— they  don't  fit." 

"Do  you  think,"   I  asked,    "that    I   would  better 
give  up  meddling  with  the  workingmen's  aff"airs  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  so,"  replied  Dorothy,  absently.  Then, 
correcting  herself,  she  gazed  into  my  eyes  intently,  and 
said  with  solemn  earnestness,  "  No— a  thousand  times 
no!  Continue,  with  these  workingmen,  to  search  for 
truth.  It  may  be  that  a  plan  will  be  devised  to 
s  65 


66  Let  There  Be  Light 

harmonise  business  and  humanity  ;  if  so  we  will  give 
all  our  aid  to  materialise  it.  We  are  able  to  help 
spread  the  idea  if  it  is  once  found.  We  can  start  clubs 
for  that  purpose  among  the  rich." 

"  But  suppose  such  a  plan  shall  be  discovered,"  said 
I,  "  and  we  do  give  our  aid  to  it.  What  if  it  is  opposed 
to  the  current  laws  of  business,  and  our  support  of  it 
swallows  lip  my  fortune  ?  ' ' 

"  Then  take  mine,  too,"  said  Dorothy,  "  and  when 
both  are  gone  we  can  work  as  millions  of  others  have  to. ' ' 
■  "I  am  proud  of  you,  Dorothj^"  I  replied.  "  You 
give  me  the  courage  of  mj'  convictions." 

After  a  short  pause  .she  said,  "  Joseph,  there  is  a  way 
in  which  you  can  oblige  me  very  much.     Will  you  ?  " 

"  What  is  it?" 

"  Say  yes,  and  I  will  tell  you." 

"Well,  yes." 

Dorothy  laughed  and  clapped  her  hands.  "  Now  I 
have  your  promise,  and  you  must  keep  it.  Take  me 
to  a  meeting  of  the  workingmen's  club." 

"  Impossible." 

"  But  you  promised." 

"  How  can  I  take  you,  Dorothy  ?  In  the  first  place, 
it  's  not  quite  right  for  you  to  be  in  that  quarter  of  the 
city  late  at  night.  Then  I  don' t  know  enough  yet  about 
the  club  myself.     Perhaps  later  I  may  find  some  way." 

"  And  meantime,  perhaps  I  may  find  a  way  of  my 
own,"  said  she,  gaily.  "  I  have  made  up  my  mind. 
You  shall  see.  And  I  have  my  speech  all  read3\  Fel- 
low-citizens,— "  she  began,  waving  her  hand  to  an 
imaginary  audience. 

The  library  door  opened  and  my  uncle  and  aunt  en- 
tered. "  What  's  this  ?  "  said  my  uncle,  with  a  broad 
smile  on  his  face. 


Humanity  and  Business  67 

"  Uncle,"  exclaimed  Dorothy,  without  changing  her 
posture,  "  will  you  do  me  a  favour  ?  " 

"  Certainly,"  replied  my  uncle,  unsuspectingly. 

"  And  you  mean  it,  don't  5'ou  ?  " 

"Yes,  indeed." 

"  Honestly?" 

"Yes." 

"  Then  please  invite  the  cliib  to  meet  in  this  library." 

"  What  club  ?  "  asked  my  uncle,  a  little  red  in  the 
face. 

"  The  workingmen's  club." 

"  I  '11  invite  it  to  meet  in  Patagonia,"  my  uncle  re- 
plied. "  I  wish  it  was  there  or  at  the  bottom  of  the 
sea." 

"  Why,  Uncle  !  "  said  Dorothy.  "  Are  you  going  to 
break  your  word  ?  ' ' 

"  You  cannot  be  serious,  Dorothy,"  said  my  uncle, 
speaking  with  much  vehemence.  "  You  know  I  can 
grant  no  such  favour  as  that.  I  can  hardly  be  expected 
to  invite  Jew,  Irish,  German,  Italian,  and  negro  me- 
chanics into  my  house.  Our  friends  would  think  me 
crazy,  and  so  I  should  be.  Besides,  these  men  are  un- 
questionably paid  agitators,  communists  and  anarchists. 
They  shall  never  be  in  my  house  while  I  live." 

"  But  before  you  say  yes  or  no,"  Dorothy  urged, 
' '  let  me  show  you  some  reasons  for  granting  the  favour 
you  promised." 

"  Dorothy,"  my  uncle  said  gravely,  and  in  a  voice 
trembling  with  agitation,  "  the  persistence  that  you  and 
Joseph  show  in  this  mistaken  course  gives  me  much 
pain.  I  see  in  it  the  possibility  of  disaster  to  yourselves 
and  the  frustration  of  all  my  plans.  In  that  safe,"  he 
added,  pointing  to  it,  "  is  a  copy  of  my  will  :  a  paper 
that  insures  to  Joseph  all  the  property  that  my  wife 


68  Let  There  Be  Light 

and  I  shall  leave, — six  million  dollars,  approximately, 
beyond  his  own  comfortable  fortune.  Those  six  mil- 
lions were  not  earned  for  the  benefit  of  anarchists  and 
socialists,  and  I  cannot  run  the  risk  of  having  them 
squandered  in  visionary  schemes.  Rather  than  expose 
my  money  to  that  chance  I  must  leave  it  where  I  know 
it  will  do  some  good, —  to  charitable  institutions  —  and 
not  a  cent  to  Joseph  or  to  you.  Is  your  workingmen's 
club  worth  throwing  away  six  millions  for  ?  " 

My  aunt  interposed.  "  Henry,"  said  she,  "  why  not 
listen  to  the  reasons  Dorothy  wants  to  give  ?  It  can 
do  no  harm." 

"  Very  well,"  replied  my  uncle,  "  I  will  listen." 

Dorothy  tried  to  speak,  but  my  uncle's  earnestness 
and  excitement  had  afiected  her  so  that  she  hesitated 
and  looked  appealingly  toward  me.  I  hastened  to  ex- 
press what  I  believed  to  be  in  her  mind. 

"  Most  of  us,"  I  said,  "  are  so  constituted  that  we 
must  have  some  incentive  to  action,  or  we  lapse  into 
misery  or  melancholy.  Take  your  own  case  or  that  of 
my  father.  At  my  age  your  incentive  was  money- 
making.  Dorothy  and  I  have  no  need  of  more  money, 
and  do  not  feel  that  motive.  A  subject  new  to  us  has 
been  brought  to  our  attention  in  a  peculiar  and  forceful 
way,  and  leads  us  into  a  course  of  action  which  is  in- 
teresting and  congenial,  and  in  which  we  may  find  our 
duty  as  well  as  our  pleasure.  To  urge  us  to  abandon 
it  would  be  as  though  some  one  in  your  early  years 
had  asked  you  to  give  up  the  idea  of  making  money. 
Your  generous  intention  I  value  as  an  evidence  of  your 
deep  affection  for  us.  My  abstaining  from  efforts  at 
money- making  will  show  that  I  am  not  influenced  by 
hope  of  gain.  And  with  all  regard  and  thankfulness 
to  you,  I  acquiesce  cheerfully  in  your  disposing   to 


Humanity  and  Business  69 

charitable   institutions   of  such  property  as  you  had 
intended  for  me. ' ' 

"  And  I,"  said  Dorothy,  who  had  now  regained  her 
composure,  "  agree  with  everything  Joseph  has  said. 
As  I  have  less  claim  than  he  on  your  kindness  and 
love,  the  knowledge  of  your  generous  intentions  puts 
me  under  greater  obligations  toward  you.  But  I  should 
do  violence  to  my  own  conscience,  and  should  lower  the 
value  of  my  gratitude,  were  I  to  repress  the  promptings 
of  my  better  nature  and  be  guided  b)^  a  base  motive 
in  making  my  choice. 

' '  Now  let  me  try  to  collect  my  thoughts  and  show 
you  some  of  the  reasons  I  had  for  asking  as  a  favour 
that  these  men  meet  at  this  house.  And  of  course  the 
matter  itself  is  not  of  so  much  importance.  It  is  the 
principle  which  we  have  really  been  talking  of, — 
whether  Joseph  and  I  shall  interest  ourselves  in  these 
working  people  to  the  extent  of  hearing  their  side  of 
the  case.  We  do  not  yet  commit  ourselves  ;  we  are  not 
champions  of  the  labouring  classes.  Our  interest  may 
lead  to  nothing.  But  we  see  something  before  us  to 
investigate,  and  we  want  to  feel  free  to  do  so. 

' '  And  why  not  approach  this  as  we  should  approach 
any  psj'Chological  experiment  ?  What  is  the  situation  ? 
Why,  everybody,  the  workingmen  and  ourselves,  seem 
to  be  overflowing  with  prejudice  ;  on  our  side  intense 
antipathy  and  antagonism  toward  the  workingman, 
and  on  his  side  suspicion  and  suppressed  hatred  of  us. 
Just  about  the  same  feeling  that  existed  in  Rome  be- 
tween the  Patricians  and  Plebeians,  is  it  not  ?  In  fact 
this  growing  intensity  of  ill-feeling  toward  the  poor 
must  tend  to  make  them  like  the  helots  of  Greece, 
slaves  of  slaves,  bondmen  and  bondwomen  forever. 
Is  this  what   Washington   fought  for  ?     Is  this  the 


70  Let  There  Be  Light 

meaning  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  ?  Is  this 
what  Franklin,  Hamilton,  Jefferson,  Webster,  Clay, 
and  Lincoln  taught  ? 

"Just  look  out  of  this  window,"  she  said,  drawing 
aside  the  curtain.  "  See  those  liveried  men  sitting  in 
front  and  back  of  those  aristocratic  carriages.  See  the 
coats  of  arms  on  the  carriage  panels,  with  their  crests 
and  escutcheons.  How  amusing  it  would  all  be  if  its 
real  tendency  were  not  so  brutally  degrading,  so 
foreign  to  the  ideal  standard  of  liberty  set  by  the 
fathers  of  the  Republic  !  Are  we  to  shut  our  eyes  and 
ears  against  these  evidences  of  a  growing  degeneracy  ? 
If  so,  let  us  at  least  institute  a  real  hereditary  aristo- 
cracy whose  authority  shall  seem  less  ofifensive  than 
that  of  yesterday's  butcher,  peddler,  or  junk-dealer. 

"  But  to  come  more  to  the  point.  Some  new  and 
vivid  impressions  have  lately  been  received  by  Joseph 
and  my. self.  In  our  minds  now,  two  conflicting  im- 
pulses are  operating  : — one  created  by  our  dim  percep- 
tion of  a  duty  and  an  opportunity  ;  the  other  by  our 
desire  to  plea.se  you.  In  following  your  wishes  without 
the  approbation  of  our  conscience  we  should  be  false  to 
ourselves.  We  are  strongly  prompted  to  believe  that 
this  antagonism  between  rich  and  poor,  in  which  we 
have  all  shared,  is  largely  the  result  of  prejudice.  Why 
not  test  this,  for  everybody's  sake  ?  And  what  better 
way  than  to  let  these  men  come  here, — see  them,  listen 
to  them,  and  then  form  a  just  and  unbiassed  opinion 
of  them  and  their  cause  ?  " 

"  I  must  admit,  Henry,"  said  my  aunt,  "  that  there 
is  a  good  deal  of  sense  in  what  Dorothy  says.  You 
can  easily  point  out  to  these  two  enthu.siastic  young 
persons  the  reasons  for  your  position,  when  they  hav^e 
been   once   brought  into  contact  with  these  working 


Humanity  and  Business  71 

people.  And  our  prejudices,  if  we  have  any,  can  be 
removed  in  the  same  way." 

"  But  I  don't  know  these  men,"  protested  my  uncle. 
' '  How  can  I  ask  them  here  ? ' ' 

"  You  need  not  invite  them,"  Aunt  Barbara  replied. 
"Joseph  can  do  that.  He  has  already  done  them  a 
service  by  sending  his  stenographer  to  their  meeting." 

"  They  need  not  be  asked  here  at  all,"  said  I.  "  M}^ 
lawyer's  office  is  on  Broadway,  near  Union  Square,  and 
I  feel  sure  he  will  give  me  the  use  of  it  in  the  evening. 
Then  Dorothy  can  go  too." 

"  How  nice  that  will  be  !  "  exclaimed  Dorothy. 
"  But,"  she  added,  after  a  moment's  pause,  "  I  hardly 
like  to  be  the  only  woman  there.  I  wish  there  might 
be  someone  with  me." 

"  I  will  go  with  you,"  said  Aunt  Barbara. 

My  uncle  looked  from  one  to  another  of  us  for  a 
moment,  with  an  expression  of  amazement  on  his  face. 
Then,  breaking  into  a  laugh,  he  rose  from  his  chair. 

' '  The  conspirators  have  won ! ' '  said  he.  ' '  Go  ahead. 
Invite  them,  and  have  the  meeting  in  this  librar)\" 

"You  dear,  good  uncle-in-law  that-is-to-be!  "  ex- 
claimed Dorothy,  as  she  rushed  over  and  kissed  Mr. 
Morton.     "  How  kind  you  are  !  " 

"  Perhaps,  Uncle  Harry,"  I  said,  "  it  would  be 
pleasanter  for  you  if  we  did  n't  have  these  men 
here." 

"  On  the  contrary,"  he  answered,  "  I  am  now  quite 
as  anxious  as  you  are  to  have  this  experiment  tried.  I 
want  to  see  for  myself  whether  I  really  have  prejudices, 
and  if  I  have,  I  want  to  know  why.  I  came  from  the 
working  classes  myself,  you  know,  and  I  assure  you  I 
have  no  prejudice  against  honest,  sober,  industrious 
and  law-abiding  workingmen.     What  I  object  to  is  the 


72  Let  There  Be  Light 

professional  agitator  and  loafer.     So  now  5'ou  may  as 
well  write  your  invitation." 

Wheeling  my  chair  toward  my  desk,  I  wrote  as 
follows : 

"New  York,  Tuesday,  February  7,  1899, 

"  To  the  President  and  Members  of  the  Twentieth  Century 
Club— 
'^'^  Gentlemen  :  I  shall  be  glad  to  have  you  hold  your  next 
regular  meeting  in  the  library  of  my  residence.  If  agreeable 
to  you,  I  ask  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morton,  and  another  friend  of 
mine,  a  lady,  be  permitted  to  be  present. 

"Yours  very  truly, 

"Joseph  Morton." 

"  What  do  you  think  of  that  ?  "  said  I,  handing  the 
letter  to  my  uncle. 

He  read  it  aloud.  "  That  will  do,"  he  answered,  as 
he  returned  it  to  me. 

When  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morton  had  left  the  room,  I 
turned  to  Dorothy. 

"  You  have  missed  your  vocation,"  said  I. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  she  asked,  coming  toward 
me  with  a  smile  on  her  face. 

"  I  mean  that  you  would  have  made  a  success  as  a 
lawyer.  Nothing  show's  that  better  than  the  victory 
you  have  just  won." 

"  I  must  be  off,"  she  replied,  blushingly,  "  or  you 
may  compliment  me  more  than  I  deserve.  So  good- 
bye. ' '     And  she  held  out  her  cheek  for  a  kiss. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE   INEFFACEABI.E    DIVIDING    LINE 

ON  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day  I  was  writing  at 
my  desk  when  the  outer  door  opened  and  Dor- 
othy hurried  in,  flushed  and  quite  out  of  breath. 

"  Now,  I  must  ask  you  to  do  something  else  for  me, 
Joseph,"  she  said.     "  You  will,  won't  you  ?  " 

"  Without  hesitation,"  I  replied.     What  is  it  ?  " 

"  Write  me  an  order  on  your  real  estate  agent,  telling 
him  to  appoint  that  evicted  woman  care-taker  for  some 
of  your  Houston  Street  property." 

"  But  how  am  I  to  know  whether  there  is  a  vacancy, 
and  whether  the  woman  is  competent  ?  " 

"  I  found  all  that  out  this  morning  when  I  went  to 
see  the  woman.  She  told  me  about  the  place,  and  said 
she  felt  sure  she  could  give  entire  satisfaction.  There 
are  several  applicants  already,  and  I  want  to  get  the 
position  for  her  right  away  before  it  is  filled.  So  will 
you  please  write  out  the  order  on  the  agent  and  I  '11  go 
down  with  it  now  ? ' ' 

"  Very  good,"  I  said  ;  "  but  there  is  a  quicker  way 
of  reaching  the  agent."  So,  going  to  the  telephone,  I 
rang  him  up. 

"  Is  there  a  position  as  care-taker  or  janitor  vacant 

73 


74  Let  There  Be  Light 

on  my  Houston  Street  property  ?  "  I  asked,  when  the 
agent  had  replied  to  my  call. 

"  Yes,  but  we  already  have  applications  from  several 
competent  persons." 

"  I  wish  you  would  consider  favorably  someone  who 
has  been  recommended  to  me  as  suitable,  and  whom  I 
should  be  glad  to  have  appointed." 

"  Very  well,"  answered  the  agent ;  "  I  will  try  to 
please  you." 

"  Thank  you.  Miss  Hamilton,  whom  you  saw  with 
me  at  j'our  office,  will  call  on  you  to-morrow  in  relation 
to  the  matter." 

"  So  that  is  settled,"  said  I,  turning  to  Dorothy. 
"  It  was  truly  thoughtful  of  you  to  assume  the  gracious 
task  of  a  sister  of  charity." 

"  Whom  do  you  suppose  I  met  in  this  woman's 
rooms  ?  ' '  Dorothy  asked.  * '  A  Miss  Seiner,  sister  of 
the  man  who  is  president  of  that  club.  Mr.  Bradley 
had  carried  the  news  of  the  eviction,  and  so  Mr.  Seiner 
brought  his  sister,  thinking  she  might  be  of  help.  I 
introduced  m3^self  to  both." 

"  What  do  you  think  of  them  ?  "  said  I. 

"  I  scarcely  saw  Mr.  Seiner  long  enough  to  form  an 
opinion  of  him,  but  I  talked  half  an  hour  with  his 
sister.  She  is  an  unusually  attractive  girl,  and  has  an 
air  of  refinement  which  her  inexpensive  clothes  do  not 
conceal.  She  is  perhaps  twenty  years  old,  and  very 
prepossessing,  with  dark,  regular  features,  something 
like  her  brother's.  Her  expression  and  manner  show  a 
highly  nervous  and  sympathetic  temperament." 

At  this  point  my  uncle  and  aunt  entered  the  library. 

"  Here  is  j^our  club's  reply,  Joseph,"  said  my 
uncle,  handing  me  a  letter.  "  L,et  us  hear  what  they 
say." 


The  Ineffaceable  Dividing  Line      75 

I  broke  the  envelope  and  read  : 

"  Twentieth  Century  Ci.ub, 

"New  York,  Feb.  lo,  1899. 

'^  Mr.  Joseph  Morton — 

"  Dear  Sir :  Your  esteemed  favour  inviting  this  club  to  hold 
its  next  regular  meeting  in  the  library  of  your  residence  has 
been  the  subject  of  a  special  meeting.  We  regret  to  say  that  we 
are  unable  to  avail  ourselves  of  your  kind  offer. 

"  In  our  opinion,  such  a  meeting  at  your  home  would  tend  to 
injure  us,  collectively  and  individually,  among  our  neighbours 
and  associates.  We  fear  it  might  be  misinterpreted,  and  might 
subject  us  to  misrepresentation. 

"  Thanking  you  for  your  offer,  we  are, 
"  Yours  very  truly, 

"  The  Twentieth  Century  Ci.ub, 
•'  Antonio  Vai^anti,  Sec'y, 

"  Well,  who  would  have  thought  it  !  "  exclaimed  my 
uncle. 

"  You  see,"  said  Dorothy,  "  it  takes  two  to  make  a 
bargain." 

"  I  can't  understand  what  harm  it  would  do  them  to 
come  to  this  house,  can  you,  Henry?"  Mrs.  Morton 
asked. 

"  Well,  yes,"  said  my  uncle.  "  They  may  be  '  walk- 
ing delegates,'  or  labour  leaders,  or  in  the  employ  of 
labour  unions,  and  if  so  their  holding  a  meeting  in  a 
rich  man's  house  might  jeopardise  their  positions  or 
weaken  their  influence.     But  I  may  misjudge  them." 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  that  you  have  qualified  your 
opinion.  Uncle  Harry,"  said  I. 

"  How  strange  it  is,"  interposed  my  aunt,  "  that 
there  should  be  this  ineffaceable  dividing  line  between 
rich  and  poor  !  " 

"  Very  strange  indeed,"  Dorothy  replied,  "  if  we  are 


76  Let  There  Be  Light 

to  judge  by  our  own  xperience.  We  start  by  refusing 
to  bave  these  men  in  our  bouse.  After  an  exhaustive 
argument  we  decide  that  our  refusal  is  unsocial  and 
wrong,  and  we  invite  them.  Then  they  decline  to 
come. 

"  Witb  all  our  boasted  enligbtenment,"  sbe  added, 
' '  witb  all  our  modern  ideas  of  freedom,  bow  mucb  bave 
we  advanced  in  practical  social  science  beyond  India  or 
ancient  Greece  ?  We  bave  our  belots  and  our  sudras, 
and  would  no  more  invite  a  workingman  or  bis  wife  to 
meet  us  socially  than  if  we  were  Spartans  or  Brahmins. 
I  wonder  if  this  will  always  be  so." 

"  I  think  not,"  I  replied.  "  Certain  forces  are  at 
work  in  tbe  social  economy  wbicb  must  in  time  produce 
changes  tbat  now  would  seem  radical.  Institutions 
democratic  in  name  bave  existed  since  ancient  times, 
but  tbe  democracy  of  to-day  is  an  innovation.  Our 
helot  has  a  voice  in  the  shaping  of  tbe  government, — 
his  vote,  wbicb  cannot  be  taken  from  bim.  His  weak- 
ness is  in  bis  lack  of  organisation  and  concerted  effort. 
Should  the  wbole  belot  class  unite  and  concentrate  its 
strength,  tbe  force  at  its  disposal  would  be  irresistible, 
and  it  could  modify  or  even  radically  change  the  whole 
social  system." 

"  It  might  change  the  political  system,"  remarked 
my  uncle  ;  "  not  tbe  social  system." 

"  But  if  tbe  law  of  development  is  ever  ceaselessly  at 
work  in  every  direction,"  I  urged,  "  must  it  not  operate 
in  the  social  economy  ?  " 

"  Undoubtedly,"  said  my  uncle  ;  "  though  not  sud- 
denly or  perceptibly.  In  contemplating  the  vast  and 
striking  changes  of  tbe  organic  and  inorganic  world, 
we  at  first  think  of  these  changes  as  sudden.  But  in 
reality  the  cataclysms  are  rare.    Tbe  great  changes  have 


The  Ineffaceable  Dividing  Line     11 

gone  on,  are  going  on,  unnoticed.  Thus  of  social  and 
political  life.  During  Queen  Elizabeth's  reign,  political 
offenders  were  drawn  and  quartered,  and  robbers  were 
hanged.  In  Luther's  time,  burning  at  the  stake  was  a 
normal  punishment  for  disagreement  with  the  Church. 
To-day  the  world  is  more  humane,  and  its  humanity  is 
growing.  Changes  cannot  be  directed  by  resolutions 
or  ordered  by  agitators.  The  world's  progress  goes  on 
quietly  and  unobserved,  while  each  one  of  us  attends 
faithfully  to  his  own  business  in  his  own  way." 

"  To  come  back  for  a  minute  to  the  club,"  said 
Dorothy,  "  must  we  abandon  the  idea  of  a  meeting  in 
this  house  ?  " 

"  Joseph  might  go  to  see  the  president,"  suggested 
my  aunt.  ' '  Quite  likely  a  little  persuasion  may  change 
their  minds." 

' '  A  good  idea, ' '  I  said.     ' '  I  will  see  him  to-morrow. ' ' 


CHAPTER  X 


GENTLEMEN 


"  ]~^0  you  care  to  be  with  us  when  we  make  our  call 

\  J  upon  j^our  real  estate  agent,  Joseph  ?  "  asked 
my  aunt,  the  following  morning,  as  she  and  Dorothy, 
clothed  in  street  costumes  and  bonnets,  and  therefore  a 
little  late  for  breakfast,  swept  into  the  dining-room. 

"Thanks,  Aunt  Barbara,"  I  replied.  "I  will  go 
down  part  way  with  you.  You  remember  I  am  to  call 
on  Ezra  this  morning." 

' '  Then  will  you  meet  us  later  at  the  Houston  Street 
tenement  ?  ' ' 

"  Yes,  indeed." 

We  all  set  out  shortly.  I  left  the  two  ladies  at  the 
agent's  office,  attended  satisfactorily  to  my  own  errand, 
and  proceeded  to  the  place  of  meeting  in  Houston 
Street.  There  I  was  met  by  the  German  woman,  who 
beamed  with  smiles  on  seeing  me,  and  showed  me  into 
her  sitting-room,  where  I  was  greeted  by  my  aunt  and 
Dorothy. 

"  This  woman,"  said  my  aunt,  "  has  just  been  ex- 
pressing her  gratitude  to  us,  and  she  wants  me  particu- 
larly to  thank  you  on  her  account  for  the  kindness  you 
did,  which  she  says  is  one  she  never  met  before  in  all 
her  life." 

78 


Gentlemen  79 

"  You  may  thank  these  ladies,"  said  I  to  the  German 
woman.     "  They  deserve  all  the  credit." 

"  They  do  deserve  thanks,"  she  answered,  respect- 
fully. "  But  so  do  you,  for  you  ordered  them  to  put 
me  back.  God  bless  you  for  it,  sir  !  It  was  n't  myself 
I  cared  for  so  much  as  the  children  and  my  poor  hus- 
band." 

"  And  she  has  the  appointment,"  Dorothy  added. 
"  We  have  arranged  it  with  the  agent." 

"  I  had  not  the  slightest  doubt  of  your  success  in  any 
mission  you  undertook,  Dorothy,"  said  I.  "So  now 
that  this  one  is  completed,  we  may  go  home  with  our 
minds  quite  at  ease." 

' '  Wait  a  few  minutes, ' '  Dorothy  replied.  ' '  We  want 
to  say  good-bye  to  Miss  Seiner,  who  has  gone  down- 
stairs with  one  of  the  children,  and  will  soon  be  back. 
But  what  about  the  meeting  ?     Did  you  see  about  it  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  saw  Ezra  and  Fisher,  and  put  them  in  a 
proper  frame  of  mind,  I  think.  They  promised  to  call 
a  special  meeting  to-night,  and  to  let  me  know  the  re- 
sult.    I  think  our  invitation  will  be  accepted." 

As  I  was  speaking  the  door  opened,  and  a  young  wo- 
man entered,  leading  a  child  by  the  hand.  Her  ap- 
pearance tallied  with  the  description  of  Eva  Seiner 
which  Dorothy  had  given,  and  it  proved  indeed  to  be 
she.  I  was  presented  to  her,  and  much  liked  the  re- 
finement and  gentle  charm  with  which  she  acknow- 
ledged my  expression  of  interest  in  her  brother.  She 
made  no  effort,  however,  to  continue  the  conversation 
beyond  replying  to  my  questions,  and,  going  over  to 
the  children,  who  were  grouped  at  the  other  end  of  the 
room,  she  proceeded  to  distribute  among  them  some 
cakes  which  she  had  apparently  purchased  during  her 
absence  from  the  house. 


8o  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  Joseph,"  whispered  Dorothy,  "  wh}^  not  ask  her  to 
the  club  meeting?"  I  looked  toward  my  aunt,  who 
nodded  in  approval. 

"  Miss  Seiner,"  said  ni)'  aunt,  going  over  to  where 
the  former  stood,  and  handing  her  a  card,  "  we  shall 
be  glad  to  have  you  pay  us  a  visit.  And  if  your 
brother's  club  meets  at  our  house,  as  we  hope  it  will, 
please  consider  yourself  invited  also,  so  far  as  we  have 
a  right  to  ask  you." 

"  I  thank  you,  Mrs.  Morton,"  replied  Miss  Seiner, 
"  and  shall  be  glad  to  come  if  the  meeting  is  held.  I 
think  the  members  will  have  no  objection  to  my  being 
present." 

We  took  our  departure  from  the  house,  and  I,  having 
seen  the  ladies  safely  on  a  car,  proceeded  to  Bellevue 
Hospital.  It  was  after  twelve  when  I  reached  there, 
and  I  was  about  to  inquire  for  the  husband  of  my  evicted 
tenant,  when  for  the  first  time  it  occurred  to  me  that  I 
did  not  know  his  name.  There  was  nothing  to  do  but 
leave,  and  I  was  descending  the  steps  when  I  met, 
coming  up,  my  acquaintance,  Mr.  Quail,  the  negro.  I 
was  glad  to  see  him,  and  promptly  asked  him  for  the 
information. 

"Yes,  I  know  the  man,"  said  Mr.  Quail.  "His 
name  is  Schubert.  I  am  going  to  his  ward  now.  Ezra 
told  us  about  the  case,  and  we  have  been  looking  after 
him  a  little." 

We  found  the  man  apparently  very  ill.  "  His  con- 
dition is  critical,"  declared  the  hospital  physician, 
"  He  should  not  have  gone  so  long  without  medical 
attention.  He  kept  at  work  when  he  ought  to  have 
been  here." 

"  Would  you  object,"  I  asked,  "  if  I  sent  my  phj^si- 
cian  " — and  I  gave  his  name — "  to  consult  with  you  ?  " 


Gentlemen  8i 

"  Not  at  all,"  was  the  reply,  "  especially  as  he  is  a 
member  of  our  staff.     I  shall  be  glad  to  see  him." 

I  bade  good-bye  to  the  doctor  and  to  Mr.  Quail, 
stepped  to  the  telephone  for  a  moment  to  give  the 
necessary  instructions  to  my  physician,  and  took  my 
departure. 

It  was  but  a  few  days  thereafter  when  I  found  among 
my  mail  the  following  letter  : 

"Twentieth  Century  Ci,ub, 

"New  York,  Feb.  13,  1899. 
"Mr.  Joseph  Morton— 

'■'^  Dear  Sir :  At  a  special  meeting  of  this  club  it  was  resolved 
to  accept  your  invitation,  and  to  hold  our  next  regular  meeting, 
as  requested,  in  the  library  of  your  residence,  on  Wednesday 
evening,  February  15th. 

"  We  shall  welcome  the  presence  of  the  friends  you  name. 
"  The  subject  will  be  '  The  Industrial  and  the  Social  Question,' 
"Discussion,  as  usual,  at  7.45. 
"  Yours  truly, 

"  The  Twentieth  Century  Ci,ub, 

"Antonio  Vai^anti,  Sec'y." 

On  the  morning  of  the  fifteenth  my  uncle,  who  had 
been  for  some  days  called  away  b3^  business,  returned 
to  town.  He  seemed  pleased  at  the  acceptance  of  my 
invitation,  and  interested  so  far  that  he  gave  orders  for 
additional  chairs  to  be  brought  to  the  library  and 
placed  about  the  large  table  in  the  centre  of  the  room. 
And  before  half-past  seven  on  that  evening  all  the 
members  of  our  family  were  seated  there,  awaiting  the 
arrival  of  the  members  of  the  cltib. 

We  had  conversed  together  for  a  while  when  my 
uncle  pulled  out  his  watch.  "  Eighteen  minutes  to 
eight,"  he  observed.  "  Strange  those  men  are  not 
here  !" 

I  called  the  butler.     "  Thomas,"  said  I,  "go  to  the 

6 


82  Let  There  Be  Light 

door  and  see  if  there  are  any  signs  of  the  gentlemen  we 
expect." 

Thomas  did  as  he  was  told,  and  shortly  returned. 
"  I  see  nothing  of  the  gentlemen,"  he  reported. 
"  And,  Mr.  Morton,  if  you  please,  there  were  three  or 
four  labourers  here  a  while  ago  inquiring  for  you.  I 
told  them  to  come  to-morrow  morning.  At  first  they 
would  n't  go,  so  I  just  shut  the  door  on  them." 

My  uncle  half  rose  from  his  chair  with  an  expression 
of  mingled  anger  and  amusement  on  his  face.  "  You 
rascal  !  "  said  he  :  "  those  were  the  gentlemen.  Run 
and  call  them  back — do  you  hear  ?  " 

"  But  those  were  not  gentlemen,"  stammered 
Thomas.     "  Those  were  workingmen." 

"  Go  quickly,  Thomas,"  Aunt  Barbara  interposed. 
"  Ask  the  men  to  come  back,  and  say  you  made  a  mis- 
take." 

Thomas  bounded  out  of  the  room,  and  I  followed 
him.  At  the  door  I  met  Ezra  and  his  sister,  who  had 
just  ascended  the  steps.  Conducting  them  into  the 
house,  and  presenting  them  to  my  aunt,  I  hurried  out, 
and,  a  few^  blocks  away,  near  the  elevated  station,  I 
was  fortunate  enough  to  find  the  five  remaining  mem- 
bers of  the  club,  standing  in  a  group,  and  evidently 
discussing  their  curious  experience. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  I,  "  let  me  apologise  for  the 
mistake  of  the  servant,  who  did  not  know  that  you 
were  expected,  and  who  failed  to  recognise  you.  I 
hope  you  will  be  good  enough  to  come  back  with  me 
and  to  excuse  the  incident." 

The  apology  was  received  pleasantly,  and  the  men 
accompanied  me  to  the  house,  where  I  took  them  to  the 
library  and  presented  each  member  to  my  uncle,  Mrs. 
Morton  and  Dorothy. 


Gentlemen  83 

"  We  are  very  sorry  for  the  mistake  that  occurred," 
said  my  uncle,  "  and  I  trust  you  will  overlook  it." 

"  Certainly,  Mr.  Morton,"  Bradley  replied.  "  Please 
give  yourself  no  uneasiness  on  that  account," 

The  club  members  seated  themselves  about  the  table, 
and  the  stenographer,  at  his  desk,  took  down  the  cap- 
tion of  his  report  : 

Report  of  a  meeting  of  the  Twentieth  Century  Club, 
held  in  the  library  of  the  residence  of  Mr.  Henry  Morton, 
Wednesday,  8-10  p.m.,  February  15,  1899. 

Ezra. —  The  meeting  will  now  come  to  order.  The 
Secretary  will  read  the  minutes  of  the  last  meeting. 

Scarcely  had  the  Secretary  begun  his  reading  when 
Thomas  appeared  at  the  door,  out  of  breath,  and  hold- 
ing his  hat  in  his  hand.  "  I  could  not  find  them,"  he 
exclaimed.  Then,  as  he  perceived  the  men  seated 
about  the  table,  his  expression  became  one  of  blank 
surprise,  and  he  stood  in  the  doorway  gazing  stupidly 
from  one  to  another  of  the  visitors. 

My  aunt,  to  relieve  the  embarrassment  of  the  situa- 
tion, broke  the  silence  by  saying,  in  a  low  voice  :  "  You 
see,  Thomas,  the  gentlemen  are  here." 

"  Where  ?  "  said  Thomas. 

My  uncle,  with  an  exclamation  of  impatience,  jumped 
from  his  chair,  hurried  to  the  door,  and,  grasping  the 
unfortunate  Thomas  by  the  arm,  pushed  him  into  the 
hall,  then  closed  the  door  and  resumed  his  seat.  A 
moment's  silence  ensued,  but  no  comment  was  made, 
and  the  meeting  proceeded. 


CHAPTER  XI 


THE  INDUSTRIAL   AND  SOCIAL   QUESTION 


Ezra. —  The  subject  of  discussion  this  evening  is, 
"  The  Industrial  and  Social  Question."  Mr.  Moore  is 
censor,  and  Mr.  Valanti  will  be  the  first  speaker. 

Mr.  Valanti. — Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : 
It  seems  to  me  that,  in  the  title  of  the  subject  for  the 
evening,  the  word  "  industrial  "  is  properly  placed  be- 
fore the  word  "  social,"  for  it  is  evident  that  industry 
precedes  social  organisation,  and  governs  it. 

Social  development  is  largely  governed  by  industrial 
development.  Make  it  possible  for  the  Patagonians  or 
Laplanders  to  construct  and  operate  modern  textile 
looms,  to  produce  high  grade  merchantable  iron  and 
glassware,  printing,  art  goods  in  general  demand,  and 
agricultural  machinery,  and  you  at  once  and  radically 
change  their  social  condition.  Or,  reverse  the  case  : 
take  away  the  above-mentioned  industries  from  Western 
and  Central  Europe  and  from  the  United  States,  and 
then  the  social  links  weaken  at  once,  and  the  body- 
politic  sinks  to  a  lower  level. 

In  this  connection  it  is  interesting  to  note  the  rapid 
rise  of  England,  and  the  corresponding  decline  of 
the    Orient.      Before    the    general    introduction    of 


The  Industrial  and  Social  Question     85 

manufactures  into  England,  that  country  had  but  a  faint 
voice  in  the  affairs  of  nations,  her  social  status  was  low, 
and  her  form  feeblj'  cohesive.  At  that  time,  however, 
and  even  long  before  that  time,  the  Orient  had  a  much 
higher,  firmer  and  sounder  social  development.  Nor 
could  even  the  destructive  wars  prior  to,  during  and  at 
the  time  of  the  Roman  Empire,  shake  the  Orient  from 
its  then  pre-eminent  position. 

The  cause  of  the  destruction  of  Oriental  supremacy- 
was  the  establishment  of  manufactures  in  England,  in 
a  form  so  radically  different  from  that  which  had 
hitherto  prevailed  as  almost  to  preclude  competition. 
The  efficiency  of  machinery  and  steam  swept  aside 
cheap  hand  labour.  As  a  result,  the  English  factory 
hand,  at  a  wage  rate  ten  times  higher  than  that  of  his 
fellow  in  India  or  Turkey,  could  nevertheless,  with 
artificial  aid  in  the  form  of  machinery  operated  by 
steam,  produce  at  a  much  lower  rate  than  could  the 
cheap,  patient  hand-worker  of  the  Orient.  To  this 
cause  may  be  attributed  the  decline  of  the  East  and  the 
rise  of  the  West. 

If  this  be  true,  as  it  certainly  is,  we  may  safely  come 
to  the  conclusion  that  the  high  social  status  of  England 
is  due  to  the  development  of  her  manufacturing  indus- 
tries. And  this  is  equally  true  of  the  United  States  ;  for 
nowhere  else  than  in  England  and  the  United  States  is 
there  to  be  found  so  high  a  development  of  the  manu- 
facturing industries,  and  nowhere  else  is  the  social 
status  so  high. 

That  the  social  status  is  higher  in  this  country  than 
elsewhere  is  true  ;  that  it  is  as  high  as  we  would  like  to 
have  it  is  not  true.  While,  on  the  one  hand,  we  see  an 
unprecedented  development  which  in  a  few  years  has 
converted  a  wilderness  into  the  abiding-place  of  one  of 


86  Let  There  Be  Light 

the  grandest  nations  of  the  world;  we  see,  on  the  other 
hand,  that  within  the  borders  of  this  country  there  is 
still  a  large  measure  of  grinding  poverty  and  consequent 
misery.  It  therefore  follows  that  the  primary  aim  of 
this  people  should  be  to  aid  the  development  of  the 
manufacturing  industries,  and  thereby  to  raise  still 
higher  the  social  status  of  the  people  of  the  United 
States. 

Ezra. — The  next  speaker  will  be  Mr.  Bradle5% 

Mr.  Bradley. — Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen: 
There  is  a  measure  of  truth  in  the  remarks  of  the  last 
speaker,  but  it  is  not  evident  from  the  facts  that  his 
diagnosis  is  correct,  so  far  as  this  country  is  concerned. 
The  importance  of  the  manufacturing  industries,  as 
factors  in  the  development  of  England,  may  be  readily 
granted  ;  but  the  facts  do  not  show  that  these  same 
factors  were  equally  potent  in  the  upbuilding  of  the 
United  States.  On  the  contrarj^,  instead  of  the  manu- 
facturing industries  constituting  a  factor  in  upbuilding, 
they  were  themselves  built  up  at  the  expense  of  another 
industry.  Manufactures  were  built  up  under  subsidies 
and  bounties,  and  these  bounties,  in  the  form  of  the 
protective  tariff,  came,  and  still  come,  as  a  tax  upon  the 
staples  of  agriculture. 

If,  therefore,  we  desire  to  discover  the  real  factor  in 
the  industrial  development  of  the  United  States,  we 
must  centre  our  attention  on  the  agricultural  industry. 

It  is  a  fact  that  the  United  States  stands  without  a 
precedent  in  the  rapidity  and  degree  of  its  development, 
and  this  is  due  in  the  main  to  the  operation  of  a  well- 
defined  economic  law.  Land,  fertile  land,  was  rated  in 
Western  or  Central  Europe  at  a  valuation  of  about  two 
hundred  dollars  an  acre.  Rent  on  these  lands,  at  six 
per  cent.,  is  equal  to  twelve  dollars  an  acre  per  5'ear. 


ihe  Industrial  and  Social  Question    87 

The  German,  French,  or  Enghsh  farmer,  paying  this 
rent,  was  compelled  to  compete  with  the  American 
farmer  who  had  obtained  his  land  for  one  dollar  and 
twenty-five  cents  an  acre.  Interest  on  one  dollar  and 
twenty-five  cents  at  six  per  cent,  is  about  seven  cents  a 
year.  In  other  words,  the  farmers  of  Western  or  Cen- 
tral Europe,  paying  twelve  dollars  rent  a  year,  were 
compelled  to  compete  with  the  American  farmer,  whose 
interest  cost  was  only  seven  cents  a  year. 

It  was  twelve  dollars  against  seven  cents.  Is  not 
this  a  sufiicient  cause  for  the  rapid  development  of  the 
United  States  ?  Does  not  this  remarkable  difference 
clearly  show  the  cause  of  the  great  prosperity  and  rapid 
development  of  this  nation  ? 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  present  high  social  status 
in  this  country  is  primarily  due  to  agriculture,  and  in- 
directly only  to  manufacture.  The  promotion  of  the 
agricultural  industry  is,  therefore,  in  direct  line  with 
the  advancement  of  the  social  status  of  the  people. 

Ezra. —  The  next  speaker  will  be  Mr.  Quail. 

Mr.  Qiiail. —  Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : 
The  last  speaker  seemed  to  me  to  be  correct  in  his  high 
estimate  of  agriculture  as  the  principal  factor  in  our 
rapid  development,  and  I  agree  that  our  best  interests 
will  be  conserved  by  the  further  development  of  this  all- 
important  industry. 

There  is  an  additional  element,  however,  not  yet 
mentioned,  which  is  worthy  of  our  attention.  I  refer 
to  the  ownership  of  land  by  the  many,  in  individual 
holdings  of  small  amount.  This  seems  to  me  a  factor 
powerfully  affecting  the  social  status  of  a  people. 

In  ancient  times,  title  to  most  land  was  usually  vested 
in  the  king  or  nobles.  A  notable  variation  from  this 
rule  was  in  the  land  of  Israel,  where  the  tenure  was  in 


88  Let  There  Be  Light 

the  head  of  the  famih^  and  where  the  title  was  inalien- 
able. And  it  was  largely  this  latter  system  of  land 
tenure,  in  my  opinion,  which  made  it  possible  for  the 
ancient  Hebrews  to  produce  their  grand  religious  sys- 
tem, the  foundation  of  Christianity  and  of  Moham- 
medanism. 

Modern  revolutions  in  Europe,  it  is  true,  have  like- 
wise tended  to  distribute  land  into  the  private  ownership 
of  the  many  ;  and  such  ownership  has  so  far  tended  to 
promote  free  government  and  a  higher  social  status. 
But  inasmuch  as  the  ownership  of  land  in  small  hold- 
ings was  begun  in  this  country  at  an  earlier  time,  and 
on  a  much  larger  scale,  than  elsewhere,  it  follows  that 
this  country  presents  a  much  higher  social  status  than 
any  other. 

A  conclusion  which  must  necessarily  follow  is  this  : 
We  should  continue  in  the  course  which  we  have  thus 
far  pursued;  so  we  may  hope  to  reach  that  higher  social 
plane  where  are  embodied  our  ideals. 

Ezra. —  The  next  speaker  will  be  Mr.  Fisher. 

Mr.  Fisher. — Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : 
Without  the  slightest  intention  to  be  personal,  I  wish 
to  observe  that  this  meeting  seems  to  me  the  most 
ludicrous  that  I  recall. 

Here  we  are,  an  organisation  of  working  men,  dis- 
cussing the  industrial  and  social  question,  and  three 
out  of  six  have  already  spoken.  I  do  not  know  what 
will  be  said  by  those  who  follow  me,  but  I  know  this 
much  of  what  has  been  said  —  that  it  reflects  no  credit 
on  this  organisation  as  a  pathfinder  for  labour. 

The  first  speaker  spoke  of  manufactures,  but  did  he 
say  anything  about  labour  or  labourers  ?  If  so,  I  have 
forgotten  it,  and  I  ask  you  to  remind  me.  Did  he  say 
a  word  about  the  wage  rate,  and  about  the  rights  and 


The  Industrial  and  Social  Question     89 

wrongs  of  labour  ?  If  so,  I  have  forgotten  it,  and  I  ask 
you  to  remind  me. 

As  for  the  other  two  speakers,  were  I  not  acquainted 
with  them,  did  I  not  know  them  to  be  wage  workers,  I 
should  take  them  for  poHticians  talking  at  a  country  fair 
to  an  audience  of  farmers.  In  what  they  said  there  was 
not  even  an  indirect  mention  of  labour.  That  theme 
was  as  effectually  tabooed  as  if  the  discussion  had  been 
between  retired  merchant  princes. 

These  two  speakers  seemed  to  play  gentleman  and 
scholar.  But  we  are  here  this  evening  to  discuss  the 
industrial  and  social  question,  and  we  should  stick  to 
the  text.  This  I  shall  try  to  do,  so  far  as  I  am  able  ; 
and,  in  doing  so,  I  will  divide  the  heading,  and  speak 
first  on  the  industrial  question. 

By  industry  we  mean  toil, —  labour.  This,  I  take  it, 
is  the  common  lot  of  man.  Every  man  that  toils,  pro- 
ducing, is  entitled  to  compensation  in  exact  proportion 
to  the  value  of  his  labour.  He  is  entitled  to  this  com- 
pensation ;  it  belongs  to  him  and  to  no  one  else.  He  is 
entitled  to  just  and  equal  compensation  for  any  benefit 
he  confers  upon  others  by  his  skill  and  by  his  effort. 
He  is  entitled  to  a  like  recompense  of  skill  and  effort  in 
return.  That  is  justice,  that  is  equity,  that  is  free  and 
unimpeded  competition. 

But  tell  me,  can  anyone  here  truthfully  say  that  skill 
and  toil  are  thus  paid  ?  Can  anyone  be  blind  to  the 
intricate  combination  of  filters  which  diminish  the 
rightful  earnings  of  skill  and  toil  ?  Are  there  not  ten 
thousand  devices  in  operation,  cunningly  planned  to 
rob  labour  of  its  just  reward  ?  What  need  to  go  into 
the  details  of  this  stupendous  robbery  when  they  are  so 
patent  always  on  every  hand  ? 

To  call  this  a  robbery  of  money  is  to  put  it  in  the 


90  Let  There  Be  Light 

mildest  possible  form.  Is  there  not  something  that  we 
value  even  more  highly  than  money,  and  is  that  not 
liberty  ? 

Yet  money  and  liberty  are  largely  equal  and  S3'nonym- 
ous  terms.  You  have  a  day  off  from  work,  and  it  is 
equal  to  a  day  of  liberty.  If  our  skill  and  labour  are 
.unjustly  taxed  to  such  a  degree  that  we  receive  twenty 
days'  pay  for  thirty  days'  labour,  are  we  not  thereby 
robbed  of  ten  days'  freedom  ?  Do  we  not  thereby  suffer 
slavery  in  addition  to  robbery  ?  And  yet  really  free 
and  open  competition  would  not  enslave  or  rob  us  ;  for 
under  it  the  higher  skill,  the  greater  service,  would  re- 
ceive the  larger  compensation. 

But  do  skill  and  service  receive  such  compensation  ? 
Take  the  women,  for  instance,  who  are  employed  in  the 
retail  stores  and  in  the  offices,  at  half  or  one  third  the 
wages  of  the  men  whom  they  replace.  Do  they  receive 
just  compensation  for  their  skill  and  for  their  toil  ? 
Let  the  employers  answer  ! 

Take  the  protective  tariff.  That  averages  about  fifty 
per  cent.,  and,  by  the  profits  of  the  middlemen,  is 
swelled  to  nearl}'  eighty  per  cent.  What  share  of  this 
national  bounty  goes  to  the  workingmen  ?  What  but 
the  burden  of  the  tax  ? 

What  about  the  trusts  and  combinations  ?  Are  their 
methods  free  and  open  competition  ? 

Begin  from  the  beginning,  and  go  through  the  entire 
industrial  system  as  it  is,  and  5^ou  will  find  it  a  system 
of  evasion,  a  scientific  system  of  how  not  to  be  just,  how 
not  to  be  equitable.  That  employer  is  most  prosperous 
under  our  present  system  who  can  most  scientifically 
conceal  these  unjust  discriminating  evasions.  And 
what  are  these  evasions  but  schemes  for  depriving  man 
of  his  inalienable  right,  his  liberty  ? 


The  Industrial  and  Social  Question    91 

If  then  the  competitive  system  is  so  full  of  deadly 
flaws, —  flaws  which  cannot  be  patched  or  mended, —  is 
it  not  well  to  look  to  another  and  more  satisfactory  sys- 
tem ?  Surely  ;  and  that  more  satisfactory  system  is 
collectivism.  Collectivism,  or,  as  it  is  more  generally 
denominated,  socialism,  will  give  to  each  man,  woman 
and  child  what  the  present  system  will  not  or  cannot 
give.     It  will  give  to  each  his  or  her  proper  due. 

It  is  fashionable  at  this  period  in  the  history  of  the 
world  for  all  who  follow  the  tide  to  turn  their  backs  on 
collectivism.  Nor  is  this  all  ;  they  do  more  besides. 
Vilification  and  detraction  are  used  as  the  hammer  and 
tongs  with  which  to  twist  and  misshape  this  idea.  And 
woe  to  the  scholar,  the  economist,  or  the  writer,  who  is 
bold  enough  even  to  mention  socialism  in  a  serious, 
earnest  way  !  He  is  at  once  pounced  upon  as  were  the 
teachers  of  old,  who,  perceiving  the  light,  dared  to 
show  it.  The  rack,  the  gibbet,  the  dungeon,  woujd, 
no  doubt,  be  the  penalty  for  teaching  collectivism  to- 
day, if  it  were  not  for  that  broader  toleration  which 
prohibits  any  such  repressive  measures, —  that  broader 
toleration  purchased  for  mankind  by  the  suffering  and 
martyrdom  of  the  noblest  and  grandest  among  men. 

Is  this  attempt  at  repression  of  the  truths  of  socialism 
a  wise  course  ?  If  the  idea  is  not  permitted  that  more 
extended  development  which  the  strength  of  a  united 
inquiry  would  give  it,  is  it  not  likely  to  generate  such 
a  series  of  mischiefs  as  is  brought  about  by  any  partially 
developed  truth  struggling  for  acceptance  ?  What  do 
our  adversaries  fear  ?  If  socialism  is  wrong,  illogical, 
untenable,  cannot  that  be  more  clearly  demonstrated  by 
dispassionate,  sober  reasoning  than  by  intemperate 
vituperation  ? 

Are  not  our  opponents  men  ?     So  are  the  advocates 


92  .    Let  There  Be  Light 

of  socialism  ;  yet  the  former  would  make  ns  out  devils 
whose  desire  is  to  uproot  and  to  destroj\ 

Socialism  does,  of  a  truth,  aim  to  uproot  and  to  de- 
stroy ;  but  to  uproot  and  destroy  what  ?  What  except 
that  inhuman  slavery,  that  base  injustice  in  the  social 
relation  between  man  and  man,  which,  so  long  as  it 
exists,  keeps  the  human  race  down  to  the  cruel  and 
selfish  level  of  wild  beasts  ? 

The  hand  of  the  Ishmaelite  was  said  to  have  been 
raised  against  his  every  fellow-man  ;  but  does  not  our 
present  social  system  make  Ishmaelites  of  us  all  ?  A5''e, 
and  worse.  It  binds  mankind  in  the  bonds  of  cruelty 
and  wrong,  making  of  the  whole  earth  a  Sodom  and  a 
Gomorrah  ;  turning  over  the  rule  of  the  world  into  the 
hands  of  an  omnipotent  devil. 

The  time  for  a  reckoning  has  come  ;  the  messenger 
is  knocking  at  the  outer  gate.  Can  we  who  have  eyes 
fail  to  see  ;  we  who  have  ears  fail  to  hear  ?  Is  not  alt 
Europe  an  armed  camp  ?  Behold,  when  the  signal  shall 
be  given,  when  the  trumpets  shall  call  the  millions,  the 
robbed  millions,  the  despoiled  millions,  the  enslaved 
millions,  will  they  not  arise  ?  And  will  they  not  then 
Lrush  aside  wrong  and  cruelty  as  a  strong  man  brushes 
aside  a  fly  ? 

What  is  to  be  done  in  Europe  will  be  done  here,  and 
in  every  part  of  the  habitable  globe.  It  therefore  be- 
hooves all  free-minded,  all  justice-loving  men  and  wo- 
men everywhere,  to  do  all  in  their  power  to  hasten  that 
day,  and  thus  to  perform  their  share  in  this  noble  work. 
Such  measures,  such  alone,  will  forever  settle  The  In- 
dustrial and  The  Social  Question. 


CHAPTER  XII 


THE  iNDUSTRiAi,  AND  sociAi,  QUESTION  —  Continued 


Ezra. —  The  next  speaker  will  be  Mr.  Moore,  the 
censor  of  the  evening. 

Mr.  Moore. —  Mr.  President,  lyadies  and  Gentlemen  : 
Before  beginning  I  would  request  that  the  Secretary 
read  the  introductory  remarks  of  the  censor  of  the  pre- 
vious debate,  as  I  am  ia  full  accord  with  what  he  said, 
and  do  not  believe  I  can  improve  on  it. 

Ezra. —  The  secretary  will  please  read. 

The  secretary  then  read  the  following  :  "  The  office 
of  censor  is  a  most  diflBcult  and  exacting  one.  It 
should  be  the  province  of  the  censor,  as  I  understand 
it,  to  analyse  all  seeming  truths,  and  to  show  wherein, 
if  at  all,  they  are  errors.  Politeness  and  courtesy  must 
not  interfere  with  his  plain  duty.  His  is  the  surgeon's 
art,  not  that  of  the  soothing  midwife.  Bringing  forth 
nothing,  nor  aiding  to  bring  forth,  he  must  pitilessly 
cut  away  whatever  is  foreign  to  the  healthy  body.  He 
must  be  no  respecter  of  persons.  Falsehood  he  must 
hunt  to  earth,  with  the  scent  of  the  hound  ;  the  truth 
he  may  pass  by  with  silent  assent.  His  main  concern 
is  to  strike  down  whatever,  in  the  guise  of  truth,  is,  in 
his  opinion,  falsehood." 

93 


94  Let  There  Be  Light 

Mr.  Moore. —  Borrowing,  as  an  introduction,  what 
was  just  read,  I  will  now  proceed. 

The  first  speaker  seems  to  have  twisted  the  facts 
somewhat  in  crediting  the  Orient  with  a  social  status 
pre-eminent  above  that  of  the  Occident.  It  cannot  be 
shown  that  at  any  time  in  the  history  of  the  world, 
whether  prior  to,  during  or  after  the  Roman  Empire, 
did  the  Oriental  people  attain  that  degree  of  individual 
freedom  which  has  always  been  the  characteristic  feat- 
ure of  the  Occident.  The  Orientals  were  slavish  races 
from  the  beginning  of  history,  and  they  are  as  slavish 
to-day.  The  Occidentals  were  free  from  the  beginning 
of  the  historic  period,  as  far  as  we  can  know,  and  they 
are  free  to-day. 

Yet  the  Oriental  has  always  been  a  patient  toiler, 
ever  busy,  ever  at  work,  in  the  past  as  now.  And  this 
fact  proves  that  industrial  activity,  in  itself,  is  not 
nearly  the  factor  in  social  development  that  the  speaker 
would  have  us  believe.  Therefore  his  conclusions  are, 
on  this  point,  valueless. 

The  third  speaker  argues  that  a  higher  social  status 
was  achieved  in  this  country  through  the  multiplication 
of  farmers  who  owned  their  farms. 

I  fail  to  see  here  the  cause  of  our  social  uplifting. 
There  is,  in  my  opinion,  little  difference,  as  factors  in 
development,  between  the  land  -  owning  farmer  and 
the  farmer  who  rents  his  land.  Both  are  conserva- 
tives, and  are  such  from  one  and  the  same  cause. 
They  live  in  partial  isolation,  and  exert  only  a  feeble 
and  indirect  influence  in  the  changes  brought  about 
through  human  agency.  Take  the  farmer  now,  as 
in  the  past,  whether  owner  or  renter,  and  you  find 
him  always  slow,  plodding  and  conservative  ;  the  last 
to  change  the  fashion  of  his  dress,  the  mode  of  his 


The  Industrial  and  Social  Question    95 

speech,  or  the  tenor  of  his  rehgious  belief.  This  is 
what,  in  a  measure,  has  caused  his  former  usual  desig- 
nations of  pagan,  heathen,  and  villain  to  stand  in  our 
day  for  something  degraded  and  low. 

Political  panderers  are  indeed  wont  to  invest  these 
farmers  with  sundrj^  ideal  virtues.  They  mouth  much 
about  the  honest  farmers,  nor  does  the  boorish  ele- 
ment squirm  when  called  by  these  interested  flatterers 
"nature's  noblemen."  "Nature's"  indeed,  for  art 
has  had  very  little  to  do  with  their  fashioning  ;  but 
"  noblemen  "  when  ?  Honest  the  farmer  may  be  will- 
ing to  be,  but  that  does  not  deter  him  from  putting  the 
small  apples  in  the  centre  of  the  barrel,  or  from  driving 
a  one-sided  bargain  at  a  horse  deal.  He  clamours 
against  dishonesty,  but  he  means  the  dishonesty  of 
those  who  are  more  skilful  in  its  practice  than  he. 
And  as  employer.  Heaven  defend  us  !  It  is  only  in  the 
last  straits,  when  all  other  avenues  of  employment  are 
closed,  that  a  wage  earner  will  go  to  a  farmer  for  labour. 
The  farmer  lengthens  out  the  days  of  toil  by  working 
in  the  two  ends  of  darkness,  early  morning  and  late 
evening.  Take  him  all  in  all,  whether  as  renter  or  as 
owner,  the  farmer  is  least  of  all  a  beneficent  factor 
in  social  advancement.  And  if  this  is  true,  it  nullifies 
the  conclusions  not  only  of  the  second  speaker,  but  of 
the  third  speaker  as  well. 

Let  us  now  review  the  remarks  of  the  fourth  speaker, 
who,  it  seems  to  me,  committed  a  breach  of  courtesy 
toward  prior  speakers  by  his  use  of  vehement  rebuttal. 
Pointed  rebuttal,  by  our  rule,  may  be  used  only  by 
censor,  unless  we  waive  the  order  of  the  evening  and 
enter  into  debate. 

As  to  the  matter  of  his  statement,  it  is  remarkable 
only  as  showing  that  a  man  of  ordinary  intelligence  can 


9^  Let  There  Be  Light 

work  liiinself  up  to  such  a  pitch  of  fretiz}'  that  vehe- 
mence and  words  usurp  the  place  of  reason. 

We  all  know  that  at  div^ers  times  and  places  some  in- 
dividual becomes  surcharged  with  an  idea  which  he 
believes  to  be  the  truth.  Forthwith  he  assumes  the 
ofl&ce  of  teacher  and  propagandist.  Restraint  is  thrown 
to  the  winds,  and  all  who  come  to  refute  are  denounced 
in  terms  of  bitter  enmity.  He  goes  forth  to  conquer  the 
world,  gathers  disciples,  and  founds  a  school.  Each 
disciple  now  becomes  the  centre  of  a  group  of  other 
disciples,  and  these  larger  and  smaller  groups  imagine 
that  they,  together,  constitute  the  world,  and  that 
whatever  is  not  part  of  them  is  enmity  and  devil. 

What  else  than  hallucination  can  we  call  this  ? 
Here  we  have  been  told  that  Europe  is  slumbering  in 
the  shadow  of  a  social  volcano  kept  inactive  by  the 
weight  of  a  great  standing  army,  and  that  an  eruption, 
should  it  take  place,  would  brush  aside  this  great 
standing  army  as  a  strong  man  brushes  away  a  fly. 
Why  is  not  this  easy  brushing  aside  done  now  and  for 
good  ?  Why  do  the  millions  hesitate  ?  Is  it  not  be- 
cause they  are  not  co-believers  in  socialism  as  a  means 
of  removing  oppression  ? 

Here  in  the  United  States,  for  instance,  out  of  about 
fifteen  million  voters,  are  not  over  fourteen  millions 
wage  earners  ?  These  wage  earners  have  it  in  their 
power  to  change  completely  and  radically  the  laws  and 
the  constitution  of  this  nation, —  not  by  armed  force, 
but  by  the  mere  use  of  the  ballot.  Yet  we  find  but  a 
very  small  vote  cast  representative  of  the  ideas  pro- 
pounded by  the  speaker.  Shall  we  say  that  the  people's 
inaction  is  due  to  ignorance  or  lack  of  public  spirit  ? 
If  such  is  the  cause  here,  in  the  most  enlightened 
country  in  the  world,  how  much  greater  must  be  the 


The  Industrial  and  Social  Question    97 

checks  to  action  in  other  and  less  intelligent  countries  ! 
Is  not  the  truth  this, — that  socialism  is  rejected  by  the 
intelligence  of  the  people  because  it  is  believed  to  be 
an  impracticable  and  impossible  Utopia  ? 

Trial  upon  trial  has  been  made  to  prove  collectivism, 
socialism,  practicable  ;  and  we  have  yet  to  learn  of  the 
lasting  success  of  a  single  trial.  Argument  may  be 
piled  upon  argument  and  heaped  in  formidable  relief  ; 
yet  the  intelligence  of  the  people  clearly  perceives  that 
behind  socialism  lie  the  menace  and  the  danger  of  new 
masters,  the  new  bosses  which  such  a  system  would 
evolve,  more  to  be  dreaded  than  all  the  Pharaohs  or 
Czars  that  ever  lived.  To  be  subject  to  a  political  despot 
is  a  misfortune  ;  to  be  subject  to  a  tyrannical  task- 
master is  also  a  misfortune  ;  but  Heaven  preserve  us 
from  the  rule  of  a  cruel  tyrant  who  shall  have  political 
and  industrial  control  combined  in  himself  ! 

Socialists  point  to  the  labour  performed  under  direc- 
tion of  the  Federal  Government  as  evidence  of  the 
efficacy  of  collective  control.  They  point  to  the  Post- 
Office,  the  Custom  House,  and  the  various  government 
departments,  as  showing  how  efficient  such  direction 
can  be  made  under  a  collective  system.  But  are  not 
the  hundreds  of  cities  standing  evidences  that  public 
control  is  but  another  name  for  private  corruption  and 
concealed  villainy  ?  In  the  cities  it  requires  no  micro- 
scopes to  detect  the  corruption  and  inefficiency  which 
now  and  then  crop  to  the  surface,  and  stand  out  in  such 
bold  relief. 

The  weakness  inherent  in  human  nature  is  too  deeply 
rooted  to  be  overcome  at  once  through  collectivism.  It 
has  taken  many  centuries  for  the  world  to  struggle  to 
its  present  comparatively  high  social  position,  and  it 
may  take  many  more  centuries  before  it  can  climb  a 


98  Let  There  Be  Light 

notch  or  two  higher.  We  cannot  force  progress  faster 
than  it  is  wilHug  to  travel.  Thus  we  must  admit  that 
the  conclusions  of  the  fourth  speaker  are  also  untenable. 

Ezra. — The  evening  has  now  advanced,  and  it  seems 
to  me  that  we  should  postpone  further  remarks  either 
until  to-morrow  evening,  or  until  the  next  regular 
meeting. 

My  uncle  bent  over  and  whispered  to  me,  ' '  Ask  them 
for  to-morrow  night." 

My  aunt  looked  tow^ard  me,  and  nodded  approval  of 
the  request.  I  therefore  rose  and  said,  ' '  Mr.  President 
and  Gentlemen  :  I  ask  as  a  favour  that  you  continue 
your  discussion  here  to-morrow  evening." 

My  uncle  rose.  "  Gentlemen,"  said  he,  "I  am 
under  obligations  to  you  for  the  very  interesting  way 
in  which  you  have  treated  your  subject  ;  and  for  Mrs. 
Morton  and  myself,  I  join  in  my  nephew's  request  that 
you  meet  here  to-morrow." 

Dorothy  got  up  from  her  chair.  ' '  I  hope  you  will 
all  come,"  she  said,  and  then  sat  down,  blushing. 

Mr.  Quail  accordingly  moved  that  discussion  be  post- 
poned until  the  following  evening,  at  the  same  place. 
The  motion  was  carried,  the  meeting  adjourned,  and 
the  members,  after  a  Httle  conversation  with  us,  took 
their  leave. 

"  Be  sure  and  come  to-morrow  night,"  were  the  last 
words  of  Mrs.  Morton  to  Miss  Seiner,  as  her  brother 
led  her  into  the  hall. 

The  hour  was  late,  and  we  all  rose  to  leave  the  library. 

"Rather  an  interesting  evening,"  said  my  uncle, 
reflectively.  "  I  shall  think  over  what  they  said.  Per- 
haps I  can  form  a  clearer  idea  after  to-morrow  night. 
And  now  that  I  have  seen  the  men,  Joseph,  I  am  in- 
clined to  admit  that  your  estimate  of  them  was  fairer 


The  Industrial  and  Social' Question    99 

than  mine.     They  do  not  seem  the  professional  agitators 
I  took  them  for." 

This  admission  on  my  uncle's  part  was  more  than  I 
had  expected,  and  I  was  on  the  point  of  saying  so. 
But,  perceiving  a  suspicion  of  a  smile  on  my  aunt's  face, 
I  refrained,  and  said  good-night  instead,  and  our  first 
evening  of  hospitality  to  the  workingmen's  club  was 
concluded. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

SECOND   SUMMARY    BY    EZRA 

THE  following  night  found  the  same  company  as- 
sembled. 

Report  of  an  adjourned  meeting  of  The  Twentieth 
Century  Club,  held  in  the  library  of  the  residence  of 
Mr.  Morton,  7.45  p.m.,  Thursday,  February  16,  1899. 

Ezra. —  This  is  a  postponed  meeting  of  the  club.  It 
is  now  in  order  to  continue  the  discussion  of  "  The  In- 
dustrial and  Social  Question." 

Mr.  Valanti. — Mr.  President  :  I  suggest  that  you 
call  on  some  of  the  non-members  present  for  remarks 
on  the  subject. 

The  president  acted  on  the  suggestion,  but  all  de- 
clined with  thanks. 

Ezra. — I  fear  that  I  shall  not  be  able  to  do  justice 
to  the  closing  remarks,  for  it  requires  a  greater  ability 
than  mine  to  generalise  and  summarise  properly  the 
able  presentations  of  the  members  who  have  spoken. 
However,  I  will  try  to  do  my  best. 

Upon  the  importance  of  the  subject  we  are  all  agreed. 
In  fact  we  may  safely  assert  that  this  most  important 
question  concerns  not  only  the  happiness,  but  the  very 
existence,  of  the  human  race  in  a  state  of  civilisation. 

100 


Second  Summary  by  Ezra        loi 

Our  censor  was  too  sweeping  in  his  criticism  of  the 
farmers,  as  is  indicated  by  a  resolution  which  I  will 
read.     It  is  as  follows  : 

"Whereas,  The  morning  papers  inform  us  that  at  Brockton 
a  number  of  workingmen,  amounting  to  five  thousand,  have 
been  turned  out  of  employment  by  an  organisation  called  the 
'  Manufacturers'  Association,'  because  they  belong  to  an  organi- 
sation called  the  '  Knights  of  Labor,'  —  this  being  their  offence, 
and  nothing  more,  —  therefore  be  it 

'■'■  Resolved,  That  we,  the  Patrons  of  Husbandry,  in  the  Na- 
tional Grange  assembled,  do  hereby  send  greeting  and  sympathy 
to  our  labouring  brethren,  and  assure  them  that  we  will  ever 
maintain  the  right  and  privilege  of  any  person  or  class  of  our 
fellow  citizens  to  organise  themselves  for  protection. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  Secretary,  under  seal  of  the  National 
Grange,  send  a  copy  of  the  above  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Knights 
of  Labor. 

"John  Trimbi^e, 
"  Secretary  National  Grange,  P.  of  H. 

"November  i8,  1885." 

This  resolution  speaks  for  itself  and  requires  no  com- 
ment. As  to  the  statement  of  the  first  speaker;  it  may 
be  safely  admitted  that  a  transfer  of  the  English  manu- 
facturing plants  into  Turkey,  and  a  further  transfer  of 
the  Turkish  industrial  system  into  England,  would  at 
the  present  time  prodtice  a  radical  change  in  the  eco- 
nomic and  social  conditions  of  both  countries. 

But  it  may  be  said  that  such  a  transfer  is  impossible  ; 
for  each  of  the  countries  named  has  that  industrial  sys- 
tem which  its  genius  permits.  This,  however,  by  no 
means  settles  the  question  ;  it  merely,  in  a  round-about 
way,  tells  us  that  England  employs  machinery  and 
steam,  and  Turkey  does  not,  and  that  England  does 
this  because  the  genius  of  her  people  has  brought  it 
about,  while  in  Turkey  no  such  genius  exists. 


I02  Let  There  Be  Light 

Assuming  for  a  moment  that  such  is  the  case,  the 
question  still  remains,  whence  did  the  English  people 
derive  their  genius  ? 

That  this  question  is  a  pertinent  one  may  be  per- 
ceived from  the  fact  that  England  was  among  the  last 
of  the  historic  countries  of  Europe  to  enter  into  the 
field  of  development.  At  the  time  of  William  the 
Conqueror,  England  certainly  had  no  industrial  S3'Stem 
superior  to  that  which  existed  in  Asia  Minor.  We  may 
assert,  without  fear  of  contradiction,  that  at  that  time 
Asia  Minor  had  a  much  more  highly  developed  in- 
dustrial system,  and  consequently  a  higher  social 
status.  Whence,  therefore,  came  this  genius,  this 
higher  development  of  England  ? 

To  say  that  it  came  through  the  inventions  of  Watt 
and  Arkwright  and  Stephenson,  through  Newton  and 
Davey,  is  again  to  ask,  whence  came  the  genius  of  these 
men  ?  And  the  further  question  arises,  —since  Turkey 
had  a  higher  development  at  the  time  we  speak  of,  why 
did  she  not  produce  men  of  genius  of  the  same  order  as 
those  of  England  ? 

These  questions  are  more  important  than  they  appear 
on  the  surface,  and  should  not  go  unanswered.  In  my 
opinion  the  answer  is  this  :  The  English  people  had  for 
guidance  a  central  theme  which  was  in  greater  har- 
mony with  universal  law  than  was  the  central  theme 
of  the  Turks. 

To  illustrate  :  A  house  can,  no  doubt,  be  built  with- 
out the  use  of  the  square,  the  compass,  the  plumb,  and 
the  level,  but  it  cannot  be  built  so  quickly  or  so  truly 
as  with  these  aids.  A  cathedral  or  a  palace  could 
never  be  built  without  them.  Now  what  are  these 
things  ?  Are  they  not  material  embodiments  of  uni- 
versal law  ?     They  certainly  are.     If,  then,  they  can 


Second  Summary  by  Ezra        103 

best  build  houses  who  conform  to  universal  law,  is  it 
not  equally  necessary  to  adhere  to  universal  law  in 
the  upbuilding  of  the  social  structure  ?     Surely. 

If  now  the  English  understood  better  the  relation  of 
universal  law,  and  applied  that  knowledge,  and  if  the 
Turks  neither  understood  nor  applied,  have  we  not 
herein  a  key  to  the  solution  of  this  question  ?  I  think 
we  have.  I  think  we  may  safely  conclude  that  for 
guidance  in  the  higher  development  of  industrial  and 
social  systems,  it  is  necessary  to  conform  as  strictly  as 
possible  to  universal  law.  And  if  so,  must  not  uni- 
versal law  become  our  standard,  our  central  theme, 
our  criterion,  our  rule  to  go  by  ? 

So  long  as  we  lack  this  criterion,  we  are  like  a  ship 
at  sea,  without  rudder  or  compass.  Having  this,  we 
can  sail  on  our  true  course.  But  whether  our  progress 
shall  then  be  in  harmony  and  concomitant  with  the  law 
of  least  resistance  depends  upon  the  quality  of  our  per- 
ception of  universal  law.  The  more  nearly  perfect 
our  perception,  the  more  truly  will  our  criterion  har- 
monise with  universal  law. 

If  what  has  been  said  be  true,  it  would  indicate  that 
the  English  people  approached  nearer  the  true  appre- 
hension of  universal  law,  than  did  the  Turks.  But 
inasmuch  as  the  standard  of  England  and  this  country 
is  not  yet  up  to  the  level  of  our  highest  ideal,  and  inas- 
much as  many  and  grievous  imperfections  in  our  present 
system  present  themselves  ever  before  us,  it  follows  that 
our  system,  while  superior  to  the  Turkish,  is  by  no 
means  as  high  as  we  should  like  it. 

It  must  then  follow  that  our  perception  of  the  true 
criterion,  the  true  standard,  is  defective  ;  not  so  defect- 
ive as  that  of  the  Turks,  but  still  defective.  In  other 
words,  it  is  high  relatively,  and  low  absolutely. 


I04  Let  1  here  Be  Light 

It  must  again  follow  that  we  may  gain  our  most  im- 
portant advantage  only  by  discovering  the  cause  of  our 
defect,  and  by  overcoming  it. 

What  is  and  what  should  be  our  standard,  our  crite- 
rion, is,  therefore,  a  most  important  question  ;  one  on 
which  we  may  with  profit  expend  whatever  mental 
and  intellectual  power  we  may  possess.  "We  may  rest 
assured  that  those  who  shall  succeed  in  bringing  us  a 
point  higher  in  our  knowledge  on  this  subject  will 
render  us  the  most  valuable  of  services. 

And  now  I  wish  to  make  a  few  comments  on  the 
statements  of  the  fourth  speaker,  and  on  the  criticisms 
of  the  censor  of  the  evening. 

That  there  are  many  and  grievous  evils  under  the 
competitive  system  no  one  here  will  or  can  deny  ; 
though  whether  collectivism,  or  socialism,  would  re- 
move these  evils  and  put  no  others,  equally  objection- 
able, in  their  place,  I  am  now  unable  to  say. 

I  think  it  absurd  for  any  advocate  of  socialism  to 
afl&rm  that  there  are  men  who,  while  believing  all  that 
is  said  in  favour  of  it,  yet  reject  it.  Such  men,  rich  or 
poor,  would  be  devils  in  human  form,  pure  and  simple. 
For  what  has  the  rich  man  but  limited  liberty,  food, 
clothes  and  lodging,  and  much  care  and  anxiety  be- 
sides ?  If  now  socialism  would  give  him  all  this,  and 
remove  his  care  and  anxiety,  would  he  be  mad  enough 
to  reject  it  ? 

It  is  the  fear  of  jeopardising  present  good,  and  the  fur- 
ther fear  of  bringing  about  unknown  and  greater  evils, 
which  prompt  the  rejection  of  this  proposed  system.  But, 
on  the  other  hand,  to  refuse  this  proposition  a  respectful 
hearing,  and  to  denounce  its  advocates  as  enemies, 
knaves,  or  fools,  is  as  short-sighted  as  it  would  be  to  as- 
sent to  it  before  judgment  had  pronounced  in  its  favour. 


Second  Summary  by  Ezra         105 

Nor  can  all  the  existing  forms  of  socialism  be  called 
failures.  Municipal  ownership  of  water,  light,  toll, 
and  limited  franchise  rights  have  proved  a  benefit,  and 
are  mainly  the  result  of  socialistic  effort.  Streets, 
rivers,  roads  and  parks  are  in  fact  manifest  evidences 
of  the  utility  and  benefit  of  collective  ownership.  It 
may  be  that  in  time  new  developments  of  socialism  will 
more  clearly  indicate  its  practicability.  But  there  is 
one  point  which  this  evening  I  want  to  emphasise  most 
of  all,  and  it  is  this  :  We  should  treat  with  much  more 
respect  and  consideration  than  in  the  past  such  men  as 
come  to  us  questioning,  and  such  others  as  come 
earnestly  asserting. 

If  there  is  a  gauge,  a  measure,  to  determine  the  real 
relative  degree  of  a  civilisation,  it  is  the  kind  of  treat- 
ment accorded  to  such  men.  How  evident  is  this  fact, 
which  we  may,  if  we  wish,  gather  from  almost  every 
page  of  history  !  In  the  past,  mankind  has  given  the 
primary  honours  to  secondary  persons  ;  the  commen- 
tators, sleek  and  fat,  clothed  in  costly  robes,  were 
crowned  with  wreaths  and  garlands.  But  the  first  seer, 
the  original  promulgator,  the  primary  agitator,  the 
propagandist, — what  of  him  ?  Alas,  to  him  were  given 
garments  of  humiliation,  a  garland  of  scorn  and  a 
crown  of  thorns. 

Was  not  this  the  embodiment  of  savage  cruelty  ? 
Was  it  not  as  cruel,  savage  and  debasing  as  the  prac- 
tices of  uncivilised  Indians  ?  It  was  this  treatment  of 
the  seer  and  prophet  which  retarded  the  progress  of  the 
world.  And  if  the  world  was  in  turn  made  to  suffer  for 
her  cruelty,  her  suffering  was  less  than  that  of  the  seer 
and  prophet,  for  she  was  then  uncouth  in  mind,  and  too 
coarse  even  to  comprehend  that  she  was  suffering. 
To-day  the  situation  has  entirely  changed.     Let  there 


io6  Let  There  Be  Light 

be  but  a  slight  jar  in  existing  conditions  to-day,  and  a 
change-effecting  wave  at  once  arises  and  rolls  onward 
in  its  determinate  course  of  good  or  evil. 

Can  we  not  see  that  forces  are  now  at  work,  which, 
gathering  strength  as  time  goes  on,  are  destined  to  set 
in  motion  change-effecting  waves  of  wonderful  potency; 
waves  by  which  the  world  will  be  more  powerfully  in- 
fluenced than  at  any  prior  time  in  history  ? 

Among  these  forces  which  are  to  transform  the  politi- 
cal, social  and  economic  conditions  of  the  world,  there 
is  none  more  full  of  potent  import  than  is  the  trans- 
ference of  Occidental  means  and  methods  of  production 
into  the  Orient. 

Agricultural  machinery,  cotton  looms,  locomotives, 
printing  presses, — all  these,  and  thousands  of  other  and 
similarly  significant  objects,  are  now  being  introduced 
into  the  Orient,  and  already  we  can  see  the  begin- 
ning of  the  gathering  of  the  potent  change-effecting 
waves. 

The  second  speaker  drew  our  attention  to  the  fact 
that  the  rapid  development  of  the  United  States  was 
due  to  the  great  difference  in  the  cost  of  land.  He  as- 
serted that  land  in  Western  and  Central  Europe,  which 
brought  a  rental  of  twelve  dollars  a  year  per  acre, 
could  have  been  bought  outright  in  the  United  States 
for  one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents  an  acre  ;  but  this 
condition  is  being  rapidly  changed.  While  our  lands 
have  been  going  up,  on  the  one  hand,  European  capi- 
talists have  been  obtaining  vast  tracts  of  laud  in  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  world,  and  the  greater  portion  at  even 
a  less  rate  than  that  originally  paid  in  the  United 
States.  As  a  result,  the  world's  price  of  agricultural 
staples  is  no  longer  governed  so  much  by  what  we 
produce  in    this  country,   but   is   now   being  largely 


Second  Summary  by  Ezra        107 

influenced  by  the  productions  of  our  new  competitors 
in  the  cheapest  land  and  labour  countries  of  the  world. 

Agricultural  machinery  on  the  cheap  lands,  in  the 
hands  of  the  world's  cheapest  labour,  has  already 
changed  the  world's  price-fixing  base,  and  has  thus 
lowered  the  world  prices  for  the  staples  of  agriculture. 
It  has  already  and  forever  taken  from  this  country  the 
partial  monopoly  of  price-fixing  for  these  products,  and 
has  transferred  this  privilege  to  land  and  labour  of  other 
and  alien  countries  and  races. 

The  steady  and  rapid  multiplication  of  cotton  looms 
iu  Japan,  and  the  beginning  of  the  factory  system  there, 
are  already  in  evidence  in  the  importation  into  this 
country  and  into  Europe  of  the  products  of  this  new 
and  undreamed-of  evolution. 

In  agriculture  we  already  feel  the  effects  of  the  sub- 
merging of  this  strange  change-effecting  wave,  for  the 
lowering  of  the  world's  price  of  agricultural  staples  has 
correspondingly  lowered  the  home  price  of  these  pro- 
ducts, thus  materially  diminishing  the  purchasing 
power  of  the  primary  industry.  The  condition  of  this 
industry  must,  in  turn,  adversely  affect  all  the  other 
industries  of  this  nation. 

If  this  mere  beginning  has  had  the  effect  of  thus  in- 
fluencing our  economic  condition,  what  greater  change 
must  not  be  produced  when  the  factory  system,  with 
modern  machinery,  with  steam  and  electricity,  shall 
have  been  firmly  established,  not  only  iu  Japan,  but 
likewise  in  China  and  India  ! 

In  view  of  this  chain  of  changes,  who  can  say  what 
modifications,  in  the  near  future,  may  not  be  necessary 
in  order  to  adjust  the  economic  and  social  conditions  of 
this  nation  ?  Nor  may  these  changes  be  warded  off"  by 
the  clumsy  device  of  a  protective  tariff",  for  the  day  of 


io8  Let  There  Be  Light 

restrictions  and  exclusions  is  almost  at  an  end.  The 
clamour  for  equity  will,  in  the  end,  throw  open  wide 
the  door,  and  commercial  advantages,  free  as  water, 
will  find  a  common  level. 

In  sight  of  this  mighty  flood  of  power,  now  shaping 
itself  and  gathering  strength,  shall  we  stand  idly  by 
with  folded  hands  and  inactive  brains  ?  Shall  w'e  not 
at  least  give  these  earnest  men  a  respectful  hearing 
when  they  come  appealiugly,  offering  us  what  they  be- 
lieve to  be  a  solution  to  the  problem  of  general  ameliora- 
tion ?  Is  it  not  possible,  after  all,  that  these  very  men, 
these  very  socialists,  are  the  seers  and  prophets  of  this 
age  and  for  the  whole  world  ? 

Who  else  is  entitled  to  answer  in  the  negative  except 
those  who  can  refute  them,  or  who  can  point  to  a  better 
or  more  equitable  method  ? 


CHAPTKR   XIV 


A    CONFESSION   OF  PREJUDICE 


Mr.  Bradley. —  Mr,  President  :  I  suggest  that  you 
call  upon  the  non-members  for  remarks. 

Ezra. —  The  non-members  are  called  upon  for  re- 
marks. 

Mr.' Morton. — Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : 
I  esteem  the  presence  of  this  club  here  a  fortunate 
event,  an  event  which  shall  mark  a  most  important 
change  in  my  habit  of  thought.  I  do  not  hesitate  to 
say  that  previous  to  this  experience  I  had  other  and 
radically  different  opinions  on  the  subjects  discussed, 
and  that  those  opinions  have  now  been  modified.  For 
these  modifications,  I  am  indebted  to  you. 

Nor  is  this  all.  They  say  that  frank  confession  is 
good  for  the  soul,  and  I  deem  it  proper  now  and  here  to 
make  such  a  confession.  It  concerns  you  and  it  con- 
cerns me.  I  see  the  stenographer  taking  down  what  I 
say,  and  I  realise  that  what  I  say  will  thus  be  made 
public.  Yet  this  shall  in  no  wise  deter  me  from  per- 
forming what  I  believe  to  be  a  duty. 

The  greater  portion  of  my  life  has  been  spent  in 
social  contact  with  the  rich.  In  common  with  those 
who,  like  me,  narrow  their  sphere  of  association,  I 
acquired  an  imperfect  mode  of  thought,  calculated  to 

109 


1  lo  Let  There  Be  Light 

generate  prejudices.  I  can  now  perceive  my  mistake, 
and  I  realise  its  danger. 

There  was  a  time  in  the  history'  of  the  world  when 
there  may  have  been  a  necessity  for  an  exclusive  and 
patrician  class.  That  time  has,  thank  God,  passed. 
The  time  has  now  come  when  the  needs  of  progress  and 
of  higher  civilisation  demand  the  social  communion  and 
co-operation  of  all  the  intelligent  minds  among  us. 

I  begin  to  realise  that  wealth  by  no  means  possesses 
a  monopoly  of  intelligence  ;  for  were  it  so,  the  twenty- 
five  thousand  regulars  in  the  United  States  army  would 
scarce  be  sufl&cient  to  keep  in  order  a  single  state  ;  in- 
stead of  serving,  as  they  do,  to  preserve  the  peace  of 
nearly  eighty  million  people. 

If  we  have  succeeded,  by  the  labours  of  the  past,  in 
evolving  that  high  degree  of  progress  to  which  we  have 
attained,  how  much  higher,  grander  and  nobler  will 
our  achievements  be  if  we  but  do  awaj^  with  prejudices, 
and  all  unite  in  one  mighty  effort  toward  still  higher 
development!  Therefore,  from  now  on,  I  purpose  to 
set  aside  the  prejudices  which  a  narrow  field  of  observa- 
tion engendered,  and  shall  endeavour  to  exert  anj^  in- 
fluence of  mine  in  the  direction  I  have  indicated. 

I  repeat  that  I  now  perceive  the  error  of  my  former 
opinions.  I  can  give  your  earnest,  thoughtful  be- 
haviour no  higher,  grander  name  than  Americanism, 
pure  and  simple  ;  and  I  am  sure,  from  what  I  have 
heard,  that  you  would  value  that  designation  more 
highly  than  anj^  other. 

But  I  have  made  oulj^  one  part  of  my  confession. 
The  other  part  is  even  more  humiliating  to  ni)-  sense 
of  true  discernment  ;  but  a  sense  of  duty  prompts  me 
to  make  it,  and  thus  to  rid  my  mind  of  the  injustice 
which  it  harboured. 


A  Confession  of  Prejudice         1 1 1 

I  had  alwa3'S  thought  of  a  socialist  as  a  beer-drinking 
German  loafer  ;  a  Jew  as  a  grasping,  scheming  and  un- 
scrupulous money-shark  ;  the  Italian  I  had  believed  to 
be  degraded,  vicious  and  treacherous  ;  the  negro  the 
embodiment  of  ignorance  and  superstition  ;  while  those 
of  Irish  blood  I  had  taken  to  be  seditious,  place-seeking 
and  peace-destroying. 

I  now  realise  how  much  in  error  I  have  been,  and  I 
shall  do  all  I  can  to  correct  my  mistake.  In  conclusion, 
I  wish  to  say  that  my  wife  and  I  —  and  I  believe  I  say 
it  with  her  approval,  for  I  see,  as  you  all  do,  her  mani- 
festation of  that  approval  —  I  therefore  repeat,  that  my 
wife  and  I  will  always  deem  it  a  privilege  to  have  you 
hold  anj^  future  meetings  at  our  house,  and  we  shall  be 
glad  to  receive  an  invitation  to  your  meetings  wherever 
they  may  be  held. 

Mr.  Joseph  Morton.  —  Mr.  President,  Ladies  and 
Gentlemen  :  I  do  not  know  that  I  can  find  words  more 
apt  to  express  what  I  have  to  say  than  those  just  uttered 
by  my  uncle.  I  therefore  wish  it  understood  that 
what  he  has  said  applies  equally  to  me.  I  make  the 
same  admissions,  and  I  share  his  hope  for  the  good  to 
be  accomplished  through  the  co-operation  and  social 
communion  of  all  the  intelligent  minds  among  us,  re- 
gardless of  difference  in  wealth,  creed  or  colour.  lyCt 
us  hope  that  the  time  will  soon  be  here  when  such 
differences  will  no  longer  raise  an  artificial  wall  of 
separation.  I  believe,  with  Mr.  Morton,  that  the  social 
communion  of  intelligent  minds  among  all  the  people 
must  tend,  in  a  great  degree,  to  eliminate  prejudice. 

Mr.  Quail. — Mr.  President,  I^adies  and  Gentlemen  : 
I  have  no  doubt  that  what  has  just  been  said  by  the 
non-members  is  as  pleasing  to  the  remainder  of  our 
club  as  it  is  to  me.     I  do  not,  for  one  moment,  attribute 


1 1 2  Let  There  Be  Light 

those  remarks  to  any  personal  merit  on  our  part  ;  nor 
do  I  regard  them  as  an  outburst  of  mere  emotional 
sentiment,  such  as  we  so  frequently  see  in  the  oratorical 
efforts  of  political  leaders.  No,  we  all  realise  the  hol- 
lowness  and  pretence  of  much  that  is  said  by  the  inter- 
ested orator.  Here  there  was  no  such  pretence  ;  here 
we  can  discover  no  concealed  motive.  The  feeling 
which  prompted  the  words  seemed  to  come  straight 
from  the  heart,  and  for  that  reason  should  be  highly 
valued,  not  only  by  us,  but  by  all  Americans.  Nay, 
more,  such  a  feeling  should  have  value  for  people  of 
other  lands  ;  lands  which  have  not  yet  achieved  our 
high  standard  of  freedom. 

I  believe,  for  my  part,  that  what  we  have  just  heard 
expressed  by  the  last  two  speakers  is  an  earnest  and  an 
evidence  of  that  higher  development, — that  higher 
humanit}^ — which  is  to  be  evolved  in  the  Twentieth 
Century  to  a  still  greater  degree  than  in  any  preceding 
century  in  the  history  of  civilisation. 

Mr.  Fisher.  —  Mr.  President  and  Members  of  the 
Club  :  In  view  of  what  has  been  said  on  the  subject 
before  us,  and  as  the  next  link  in  the  chain  of  our  in- 
quiry, I  move  that  the  subject  for  our  next  debate  be 
"  Collectivism  and  Competition  Compared,"  and  that 
Mr.  Bradley  be  the  censor  of  the  evening. 

The  motion,  having  been  seconded,  and  amended  by 
the  nomination  of  Mr.  Quail  as  first  speaker,  was 
carried. 

The  meeting  then  adjourned. 


CHAPTER  XV 


FROM    A    BUSINKSS    POINT   OF   VIFW 


THE  following  morning  brought  a  message  from  my 
physician  :  "  Schubert  is  out  of  danger.  Shall 
I  put  him  in  the  pay  ward  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  I  answered,  "  do  all  you  can  toward  his  re- 
covery, and  send  me  the  bill." 

lyUncheon  of  that  day  afforded  the  first  opportunity 
since  the  meeting  for  our  little  family  to  be  together. 
And  when  my  uncle  appeared  his  face  bore  an  expres- 
sion which  brought  a  question  from  my  aunt  :  *'  Well, 
Henry,  what  is  the  trouble  ?  " 

"  Only  that  I  made  a  fool  of  myself  last  night." 

"  How?" 

"  Oh,  in  saying  a  lot  of  rubbish  to  the  men  at  the 
meeting.'-' 

"  Why,  Henry  !  "  exclaimed  my  aunt.  "  And  you 
were  so  serious,  too  !  I  supposed  of  course  you  meant 
it." 

"  So  I  did  last  night  ;  but  now  that  I  have  thought 
it  over,  I  believe  I  made  a  fool  of  myself  You  see," 
he  continued,  "  I  have  just  come  from  my  real  estate 
agent's,  and  there  he  told  me  of  his  experience  with 
Joseph   and  the  tenant  Schubert.      He  says  he  has 

8 

"3 


114  Let  There  Be  Light 

already  had  several  tenants  at  his  office  with  long  faces 
and  giving  various  excuses  why  they  will  not  be  able 
to  pay  their  rent.  He  sent  them  all  out  '  right  about 
face,'  '  flying,'  as  he  expressed  it.  Some  of  the  tenants 
asked  for  Joseph's  address,  but  he  sent  them  about 
their  business  in  short  order. 

"  The  real  estate  man  gave  me  plainly  to  understand, 
Joseph,  that  if  there  was  to  be  any  more  of  this  kind  of 
interference  on  your  part,  he  would  have  to  refuse  your 
account.  What  would  you  do  then  ?  Would  you  try 
someone  else  ?  Could  you  improve  matters  in  that 
wa)^  ?  This  firm  is  the  most  capable  and  the  most 
trustworthy  in  the  city,  and  manages  to  average  from 
ten  to  twenty-five  per  cent,  net  more  than  the  others  I 
have  tried.  You  really  ought  to  be  careful,  Joseph.  I 
do  wish  you  would  go  out  into  the  world  and  get  some 
business  experience  ;  for  unless  you  do,  I  am  afraid  that 
what  you  have  will  melt  away  like  wax  before  the 
fire. 

"  Let  me  tell  you,"  he  continued,  "  that  in  my 
younger  days  I  had  my  own  periods  of  high-mindedness 
and  highfalutin  ideas  ;  but  cool  calculation  and  some 
hard,  sharp  and  costly  experiences  soon  taught  me  to 
draw  the  line  tight.  I  will  just  relate  one  or  two  in- 
stances for  your  benefit. 

"  At  one  time,  when  your  father  and  I  were  strug- 
gling on  our  way  upward,  but  had  not  succeeded  in 
realising  any  of  our  social  ambitions,  we  were  agreeably 
surprised  to  receive  from  a  merchant  wdiose  social  po- 
sition we  knew  to  be  excellent  an  invitation  to  a 
reception.  We  both  attended,  and  were  cordially  re- 
ceived. A  short  time  thereafter  the  merchant  called 
upon  us  ;  and,  after  some  polite  circumlocution,  he 
asked  for  and  walked  away  with  our  check  for  what 


From  A  Business  Point  of  View  115 

was  then,  to  us,  a  considerable  amount.  This  was  in 
the  form  of  a  loan,  to  be  returned  in  a  short  time.  It 
was  never  returned  and  was  never  meant  to  be.  Other 
experiences  in  the  same  line  followed,  until  one  fine 
day  we  both  concluded  to  put  up  the  iron  shutter  on 
this  species  of  benevolence. 

"  Next  we  tried  to  do  something  for  our  employes, 
and  found  that  we  might  as  well  have  poured  our  money 
into  an  open  sink.  What  was  granted  to  one,  as  an 
act  of  benevolence,  was  soon  expected  and  indirectly 
demanded,  as  a  right,  by  all.  Then  came  the  third 
and  last  stage,  the  most  difficult  of  all  to  abandon. 
Friends,  and  pretended  friends,  borrowed  sums  varying 
from  five  cents  up  to  thousands  of  dollars  ;  but  the 
amount  returned  was  so  trifling  that  it  can  be  said  to 
have  been  nothing. 

"  About  fifteen  years  ago  I  became  deeply  interested 
in  a  question  of  political  policy,  and  issued  a  number 
of  pamphlets  thereon.  Champions  arose  who  took  up 
my  side,  but  almost  all  in  the  end  tapped  me  for  loans. 
At  length  I  concluded  that  I  had  had  enough  of  all  this, 
so  I  suddenly  shut  down  for  good  on  the  whole  tribe  of 
borrowers.  And  now,  whenever  I  feel  that  I  must  be 
benevolent,  I  send  whatever  I  see  fit  to  the  officers  of 
organised  charity,  and  end  it  all  there." 

"  But,  Uncle,"  protested  Dorothy,  "  is  not  that  too 
severe  ?  If  you  were  made  to  suffer  through  the  acts 
of  unscrupulous  people,  is  that  an}'  reason  why  the 
really  needy  should  not  be  assisted  ?  " 

"  The  really  needy  are  so  numerous,"  replied  my 
uncle,  "  that  there  is  not  money  enough  or  charity 
enough  in  the  whole  world  to  assist  them  even  for  one 
day.  Simply  to  aid  the  most  persistent  beggars  is  to 
multiply  mendicancy.      Were  I  a  poor  man,  I  would 


1 1 6  Let  There  Be  Light 

sooner  die  than  receive  charity.  Why  should  I  help 
to  encourage  what  I  believe  to  be  a  vice  ?  " 

"But  in  the  case  of  the  Schuberts,"  said  Dorothy; 
"  were  not  young  children  the  principal  sufferers  ?  " 

"Then,"  said  my  uncle,  "the  organised  charities 
would  have  taken  care  of  them." 

"  Still,  this  Schubert  famil}-  had  been  tenants  of 
Joseph's  for  some  time,  and  he  had  profited  b}-  their 
rent.     Was  it  not  his  special  duty  to  assist  them  ?  " 

"  From  a  purely  benevolent  point  of  view,"  said  my 
uncle,  "  yes  ;  from  a  business  point  of  view,  no." 

"  So  charity  and  business  are  to  be  divorced  from 
each  other. ' ' 

"  Most  certainly." 

"  Then  what  becomes  of  practical  Christianity  ?  " 

"  There  is  no  such  thing  as  practical  Chri.stianity," 
replied  my  uncle.  ' '  The  most  that  can  be  expected 
in  ordinary  life  is  theoretical  Christianitj'.  Practical 
Christianity  would  have  us  sell  all  and  give  to  the 
poor  ;  whereas  practical  business  would  have  us  sell  at 
a  profit  in  order  to  be  able  to  buy  more.  Practical 
Christianity  would  have  us  turn  the  other  cheek  for  re- 
peated blows,  but  practical  business  seeks  for  every 
advantage." 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Morton,"  said  Dorothy,  half  reprovingly, 
"  do  you  know  what  I  think  ?  " 

"What?" 

"  I  will  tell  you.  I  don't  believe  you  really  mean  a 
word  you  have  said  this  morning.  You  are  not  in 
earnest.  But  I  do  believe  that  you  were  in  earnest  last 
night.  It  was  your  own  dear  self  that  spoke  then. 
What  you  have  said  this  morning  is  onl}-  the  reflection 
of  what  that  hard-hearted  real  estate  man  would  have 
you  say. ' ' 


From  A  Business  Point  of  View  1 1 7 

"  If  so,"  answered  my  uncle,  smiling,  "then  the 
real  estate  agent  is  the  better  business  man  of  the 
two. ' ' 

"  Then  what  difference  is  there,"  asked  Dorothy, 
after  a  moment  of  reflection,  "  between  the  method  of 
the  savage  hunter  of  times  past  and  that  of  the  busi- 
ness man  of  to-day  ?  " 

"  Hardly  any,"  replied  my  uncle.  "  Both  are, 
equally,  examples  of  eagerness  for  power  and  acquisi- 
tion. The  business  man  has  about  as  much  pity  or 
consideration  for  his  competitor  as  the  savage  had  for 
his  prey  or  for  his  antagonist." 

"  And  it  seems  that  the  quantity  of  money  a  con- 
testant possesses,"  I  observed,  "  must  add  materially 
to  his  strength,  and  in  fact  determine  it." 

"  Certainly,"  said  my  uncle.  "A  naturally  weak 
man  with  plenty  of  money  is  very  much  stronger  than 
a  naturally  strong  man  with  little  money." 

"  And  is  there  anything  to  prevent  the  combination, 
in  one  fund,  of  the  money  of  the  many  rich  ?  " 

"  No,  indeed.  Such  a  combination  is  called  a  joint- 
stock  company." 

"  The  combination  of  wealth,  then,"  I  said,  "  makes 
wealth  a  more  powerful  factor,  does  it  not  ? ' ' 

"  Yes,  certainly." 

"  Can  it,  when  thus  combined,  buy  cheaper  ?  " 

"  Yes,  and  sell  dearer." 

"  Does  it  not  sell  largely  to  the  industrial  classes  ?  " 

"  Yes,  for  they  form  the  bulk  of  the  consumers." 

"  And  what  the  industrial  classes  have  for  sale, —  is 
that  not  limited  to  their  labour  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  Well,  then,"  I  concluded,  "  must  it  not  follow  that 
Fisher  was  right  when  he  said,  '  Can  anyone  be  blind 


ii8  Let  There  Be  Light 

to  the  intricate  combination  of  filters  which  diminish 
the  rightful  earnings  of  skill  and  toil  ?  '  " 

"  What  of  that  ?  "  said  my  uncle.  "  There  is  about 
as  much  sense  in  that  complaint  as  if  one  stag  were  to 
complain  of  the  superior  horns  of  another  stag." 

"  But  stags,  as  a  rule,"  observed  Aunt  Barbara,  "  do 
not  employ  their  horns  against  one  another,  but  for  de- 
fence against  a  common  enemy." 

"  And  our  common  enemies,"  my  uncle  replied, 
"  are  they  not  our  wants  and  our  desires  ?  Do  we  not 
conquer  them  by  satisfying  them  ?  And  do  not  our 
experiences  teach  us  to  employ  all  the  resources  at  our 
command  in  acquiring  the  means  of  satisfaction  ?  " 

' '  Are  our  actions  governed  by  the  same  motives  as 
those  of  wild  animals  ?  "  asked  my  aunt. 

"  In  a  measure,  yes,"  replied  my  uncle. 

"  Then  stags  seem  to  be  more  humane  than  we." 

"  In  the  light  in  which  you  view  it,  yes.  But  per- 
haps," my  uncle  added,  "  stags  do  not  use  more  force 
and  cunning  merely  because  they  do  not  need  to." 

"And  is  this  the  end  of  civilisation  ? ' '  asked  Dorothy. 

"Whether  this  is  to  be  the  ultimate  end,"  Uncle 
Harry  replied,  "  I  do  not  know  ;  but  it  is  a  stubborn 
fact  that  the  objects  and  methods  we  have  discussed  are 
those  of  our  day." 

"  If  that  is  true,"  said  I,  "  and  if  wealth  gains  addi- 
tional strength  through  concentration,  could  not  the 
industrial  class  likewise  gain  in  strength  through  the 
concentration  of  numbers  ?  I  mean,  of  course,  if  this 
were  done  on  a  very  much  larger  scale  than  to-day. 
Would  not  this  create  that  balance  of  power  between 
capital  and  labour  which  would  tend  to  promote  equit- 
able distribution  ?  " 

"  Such  organisation  of  labour,"  observed  my  uncle, 


From  A  Business  Point  of  View  119 

"  would  become  a  standing  menace  to  peace  and  pro- 
gress. Ivabour  is,  on  the  whole,  unreasoning  and  im- 
pulsive ;  easily  led  on  to  overstep  the  bounds  of  law. 
If  once  it  shall  feel  itself  master  of  the  situation,  it  will 
become  a  most  unreasonable  and  tyrannical  master.  It 
will  dictate  the  rate  of  wages,  regardless  of  all  law  of 
competition  ;  it  will  compel  the  enforcement  of  many 
and  obnoxious  rules,  prominent  among  which  will,  no 
doubt,  be  the  prohibition  of  dismissal  of  an  employe  by 
the  master  or  his  agent.  And  as  showing  what  such 
a  condition  of  affairs  would  lead  to,  let  me  read  you 
something  that  John  Stuart  Mill  has  said." 


CHAPTER  XVI 


M 


WORKMAN   AND   MASTKR 

Y  uncle  rose,  and  led  the  way  to  the  library, 
whither  we  all  followed  him.  There,  going  to  the 
bookcase,  he  took  down  a  copy  of  Mill's  Political 
Economy,  and  read,  from  page  445  :  "  To  extract  real 
work  from  day  labourers,  without  the  power  of  dis- 
missal, is  only  practicable  by  the  power  of  the  lash." 

"  Yes,  Uncle  Harry,"  said  I.  "  And  now,  if  you 
please,  let  me  quote  something  from  the  same  book." 
So,  taking  the  volume,  and  turning  to  page  144,  I  read: 

"  To  civilise  a  savage,  he  must  be  inspired  with  new  wants  and 
desires,  even  if  not  of  a  very  elevated  kind,  provided  that  their 
gratification  can  be  a  motive  to  steady  and  regular  bodily  and 
mental  exertion." 


Again,  turning  to  page  457,  I  read  : 

"  If  the  bulk  of  the  human  race  are  always  to  remain  as  at 
present, — slaves  to  toil  in  which  they  have  no  interest,  and  there- 
fore feel  no  interest— drudging  from  early  morning  till  late  at 
night  for  bare  necessaries,  and  with  all  the  intellectual  and 
moral  deficiencies  which  that  implies  —  without  resources  either 
in  mind  or  feelings  —  untaught,  for  they  cannot  be  better  taught 
than  fed  ;  selfish,  for  all  their  thoughts  are  required  for  them- 
selves ;  without  interest  or  sentiments  as  citizens  and  members 

120 


Workman  and  Master  121 

of  society,  and  with  a  seuse  of  injustice  rankling  iu  their  minds, 
equally  for  what  they  have  not,  and  for  what  others  have  ;  I 
know  not  what  there  is  which  should  make  a  person  with  any 
capacity  of  reason  concern  himself  about  the  destinies  of  the 
human  race.  There  would  be  no  wisdom  for  any  one  but  in 
extracting  from  life,  with  Epicurean  indifference,  as  much  per- 
sonal satisfaction  to  himself  and  those  with  whom  he  sympa- 
thises, as  it  can  yield  without  injury  to  any  one,  and  letting 
the  unmeaning  bustle  of  so-called  civilised  existence  roll  by 
unheeded." 

I  handed  the  volume  to  my  uncle.  He  took  it, 
opened  at  page  458,  and  read  : 

"Poverty,  like  most  social  evils,  exists  because  men  follow 
their  brute  instincts  without  due  consideration." 

I  again  took  the  book,  and  read,  from  page  147  : 

"  A  thing  not  yet  so  well  understood  and  recognised,  is  the 
economical  value  of  the  general  diffusion  of  intelligence  among 
the  people." 

"  That  is  true,"  said  my  uncle.  "  I  am  a  strong  be- 
liever in  the  public  school,  and  in  the  general  diffusion 
of  knowledge  among  the  people." 

"  But,"  I  said,  "  Mr.  Mill  does  not  by  any  means 
limit  his  theory  of  education  to  the  public  school,  for 
on  page  145  he  says  : 

"  '  That  the  productiveness  of  the  labour  of  a  people  is  limited 
by  their  knowledge  of  the  arts  of  life,  is  self-evident ;  and  that 
any  progress  iu  those  arts,  any  improved  application  of  the 
objects  or  powers  of  nature  to  industrial  uses,  enables  the  same 
quantity  and  iuteusity  of  labour  to  raise  a  greater  produce.'  " 

"  No  one  will  deny  that,"  observed  my  uncle. 
"  Will  you  likewise  assent  to  this  ?  "  I  said,  turning 
to  page  155  : 


122  Let  There  Be  Light 

"The  efficiency  of  industry  may  be  expected  to  be  great,  in 
proportion  as  the  fruits  of  industry  are  insured  to  the  person 
exerting  it :  and  that  all  social  arrangements  are  conducive  to 
useful  exertion,  according  as  they  provide  that  the  reward  of 
everyone  for  his  labour  shall  be  proportioned  as  much  as 
possible  to  the  benefit  which  it  produces." 

Seeing  him  hesitate,  I  put  the  question  again,  and 
he  replied,  "  Yes  ;  I  know  of  no  reason  why  I  cannot 
agree  to  that." 

"  Then,"  said  I,  "  permit  me  to  make  another  qtiota- 
tion  from  the  same  page,  and  let  me  ask  whether  you 
agree  with  it  :  " 

"  All  laws  or  usages  which  favour  one  class  or  sort  of  persons 
to  the  disadvantage  of  others  ;  which  chain  up  the  efforts  of 
any  part  of  the  community  in  pursuit  of  their  own  good,  or 
stand  between  those  efforts  and  their  natural  fruits  —  are  (inde- 
pendently of  all  other  grounds  of  condemnation)  violations  of 
the  fundamental  principles  of  economical  policy  ;  tending  to 
make  the  aggregate  productive  powers  of  the  community  pro- 
ductive in  a  less  degree  than  they  would  otherwise  be." 

"  I  really  fail  to  see  what  you  are  driving  at,  Joseph," 
said  my  uncle.  "  It  seems  almost  as  though  you  had 
been  playing  a  part  these  last  few  weeks.  Perhaps  we 
have  all  had  our  parts.  Yours,  of  course,  is  that  of 
hero,  Dorothy  may  be  the  heroine,  my  wife  a  walking 
lady,  while  I  am  given  the  r61e  of  heavy  villain.  Yotir 
last  quotation  may  be  intended  to  illtistrate  the  fact  that 
I,  the  heavy  villain,  favour  one  class,  the  wicked  rich, 
to  the  detriment  of  your  (the  hero's)  class,  the  virtuous 
poor.     Am  I  correct  ?  " 

"  No,  Henry,"  said  my  aunt.  "  You  may  remember 
that  you  began  the  argtiment.  It  was  yoti  that  offered 
the  first  quotation   from   the   book.      And   now  that 


Workmen  and  Master  123 

Joseph  seems  to  be  getting  the  better  of  the  discussion, 
is  it  fair  for  you  to  show  anything  like  temper  ?  " 

"  I  hardly  think  I  am  showing  temper,"  my  uncle 
replied.  "  I  am  simply  showing  this  young  gentleman 
that  things  are  so,  because  they  are  so,  and  that  it  is 
not  incumbent  upon  him  or  me  to  move  the  universe  ; 
that  universe-moving  is  the  special  business  of  the  fool 
and  the  charlatan." 

"  Then  were  Jesus,  Isaiah  and  Paul  fools  or  charla- 
tans ?  ' '  my  aunt  asked. 

"  Oh  no,"  answered  my  uncle,  "  they  were  religious 
teachers  ;  there  is  nothing  to  be  said  against  them. 
But  economic  reformers  belong  to  a  different  class,  A 
man,  a  community  or  a  people  may,  without  any  seri- 
ous difficulty,  change  their  opinions  in  matters  of  faith  ; 
that  is  easy  enough  to  bring  about.  But  for  a  man,  a 
community  or  a  people  to  give  up  wealth,  or  to  divide 
it  with  a  lot  of  worthless,  shiftless  loafers, —  that  is  an- 
other thing." 

"But,  Uncle  Harry,"  I  said,  "who  is  advocating 
either  course  ?  Am  I  ?  Are  you  ?  It  seems  to  me  I 
have  simply  been  asking  for  information  ;  and,  to  my 
recollection,  I  hav^e  advocated  nothing." 

"  Oh  yes,"  replied  my  uncle.  "  You  advocated 
holding  the  workingmen's  meeting  at  my  house." 

"  My  dear,"  said  my  aunt,  "  you  forget  that  it  was 
Dorothy  and  I  who  advocated  that,  and  that  Joseph 
seemed  to  oppose  it  when  it  was  proposed." 

"  Well,  yes,"  he  admitted  ;  "  since  you  remind  me 
of  it,  I  freely  confess  that  I  am  wrong  in  blaming 
Joseph." 

"  And  there  is  no  use  in  losing  one's  temper  in  argu- 
ment, is  there  ?  "  continued  my  aunt,  good-naturedly. 

* '  I  am  not  out  of  temper, ' '  replied  my  uncle,  with  an 


124  Let  There  Be  Light 

effort  at  a  smile.  "  Let  Joseph  continue,  and  no  one 
here  will  find  any  cause  to  complain  on  that  score." 

"  Very  good,  Uncle,"  I  remarked.  "  And  now  let 
me  remind  you  that  I  took  up  the  study  of  economics  at 
your  earnest  solicitation.  There  are  still  a  few  more 
authorities  which,  with  your  permission,  I  will  .submit 
for  your  consideration." 

Taking  down  The  Wealth  of  Nations,  by  Adam  Smith, 
I  read  from  pages  69,  70  and  71  : 

"The  workmen  desire  to  get  as  much,  the  masters  to  give  as 
little  as  possible.  The  former  are  disposed  to  combine  in  order 
to  raise,  the  latter  in  order  to  lower  the  wages  of  labour. 

"  It  is  not,  however,  difficult  to  foresee  which  of  the  two  par- 
ties must,  upon  all  ordinary  occasions,  have  the  advantage  in 
the  dispute,  and  force  the  other  into  a  compliance  with  their 
terms.  The  masters,  being  fewer  in  number,  can  combine 
much  more  easily  ;  and  the  law,  besides,  authorises,  or  at  least 
does  not  prohibit  their  combinations,  while  it  prohibits  those 
of  the  workmen. 

"  In  all  such  disputes  the  masters  can  hold  out  much  longer. 
A  landlord,  a  farmer,  a  master  manufacturer,  or  merchant, 
though  they  did  not  employ  a  single  workman,  could  generally 
live  a  year  or  two  upon  the  stocks  which  they  have  already 
acquired.  Many  workmen  could  not  subsist  a  week,  few 
could  subsist  a  month,  and  scarce  any  a  year  without  emplo}'- 
ment.  In  the  long  run  the  workman  may  be  as  necessary  to 
his  master  as  his  master  is  to  him  ;  but  the  necessity  is  not  so 
immediate. 

"  We  rarely  hear,  it  has  been  said,  of  the  combinations  of 
masters;  though  frequently  of  those  of  workmen.  But  who- 
ever imagines,  upon  this  account,  that  masters  rarely  combine, 
is  as  ignorant  of  the  world  as  of  the  subject.  Masters  are  always 
and  ever3'where  in  a  sort  of  tacit,  but  constant  and  uniform 
combination,  not  to  raise  the  wages  of  labour  above  their  actual 
rate.  To  violate  this  combination  is  everywhere  a  most  un- 
popular action,  and  a  sort  of  reproach  to  a  master  among 
his  neighbours  and  equals.     We  seldom,  indeed,  hear  of  this 


Workman  and  Master  125 

combination,  because  it  is  the  usual,  and  cue  may  say  the  natural, 
state  of  things  which  nobody  ever  hears  of.  Masters  too  some- 
times enter  into  particular  combinations  to  sink  the  wages  of 
labour  even  below  this  rate.  These  are  always  conducted  with 
the  utmost  silence  and  secrecy  till  the  moment  of  execution, 
and  when  the  workmen  yield,  as  they  sometimes  do,  without 
resistance,  though  severely  felt  by  them,  they  are  never  heard  of 
by  other  people. 

"Such  combinations,  however,  are  frequently  resisted  by  a 
contrary  defensive  combination  of  the  workmen  ;  who  some- 
times, too,  without  any  provocation  of  this  kind,  combine  of 
their  own  accord  to  raise  the  price  of  their  labour.  Their  usual 
pretences  are,  sometimes  the  high  price  of  provisions ;  some- 
times the  great  profit  which  their  masters  make  by  their  work. 

"  But  whether  their  combinations  be  offensive  or  defensive, 
they  are  always  abundantly  heard  of.  In  order  to  bring  the 
point  to  a  speedy  decision,  they  have  always  recourse  to  the 
loudest  clamour,  and  sometimes  to  the  most  shocking  violence 
and  outrage.  They  are  desperate,  and  act  with  the  folly  and 
extravagance  of  desperate  men,  who  must  either  starve  or 
frighten  their  masters  into  an  immediate  compliance  with  their 
demands. 

"The  masters  upon  these  occasions  are  just  as  clamorous 
upon  the  other  side,  and  never  cease  to  call  aloud  for  the  assist- 
ance of  the  civil  magistrate,  and  the  rigorous  execution  of  those 
laws  which  have  been  enacted  with  so  much  severity  against 
the  combinations  of  servants,  labourers,  and  journeymen.  The 
workmen,  accordingly,  very  seldom  derive  any  advantage  from 
the  violence  of  those  tumultuous  combinations,  which,  partly 
from  the  interposition  of  the  civil  magistrate,  partly  from  the 
superior  steadiness  of  the  masters,  partly  from  the  necessity 
which  the  greater  part  of  the  workmen  are  under  of  submitting 
for  the  sake  of  present  subsistence,  generally  end  in  nothing 
but  the  punishment  or  ruin  of  the  ringleaders. 

"  But  though,  in  disputes  with  their  workmen,  masters  must 
generally  have  the  advantage  ;  there  is,  however,  a  certain  rate 
below  which  it  seems  impossible  to  reduce,  for  any  considerable 
time,  the  ordinary  wages  even  of  the  lowest  species  of  labour. 

"  A  man  must  always  live  by  his  work,  and  his  wages  must 
at  least  be  sufficient  to  maintain  him." 


126  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  What  I  have  just  read,"  I  said,  patting  down  the 
book,  "  are  statements  of  facts  and  observations  in  the 
days  of  Adam  Smith.  I  will  now  read  some  opinions 
expressed  in  our  own  day  by  Thorold  Rogers,  in  The 
Economic  Interpretation  of  History.  On  page  311  he 
says  : 

•'  'When  men  put  their  capitals  together  in  any  direction, 
neither  society  nor  political  economists  have  a  word  to  say 
against  them.  The  defence  of  such  associations  is  obvious, 
their  utility  unquestionable,  their  necessity,  in  some  cases 
indisputable.' 

"  And  on  page  314  he  says  : 

'*  '  The  combination  which  in  capital  was  considered  benefi- 
cent, in  labour  was  treated  as  felony,  and  even  when  the  felony 
was  extinguished  by  abrogating  the  labour  statutes,  was  left 
to  the  elastic  interpretation  of  the  common  law  doctrine  of 
conspiracy.' 

"  Again,  on  page  313,  he  says  : 

"  '  Now  in  a  trade  union  or  labour  partnership  the  workmen 
do  precisely  that  which  the  promoters  of  joint-stock  enterprise 
undertake.  The  latter  are  individually  too  poor  for  the  enter- 
prise ;  collectively  they  are  rich  enough.  They  are  too  weak 
alone  ;  they  are  strong  enough  in  union  or  combination.' 

"  Still  further,  on  pages  314  and  315,  the  same  writer 
says  : 

"  '  Even  now  the  movement,  instead  of  being  welcomed  as  a 
virtual  exposition  of  the  joint-stock  principle  as  applied  to 
labour,  and  therefore  as  just  and  as  innocent  as  any  analogous 
institution  among  capitalists  for  the  furtherance  of  manufacture 
and  trade,  is  looked  on  with  suspicion  and  dislike,  constantly 
misrepresented  and  as  far  as  possible  thwarted. 

"'Every  calling,  especially  those  which  are  professional, 


Workman  and  Master 


127 


always  lias  its  own  code  of  honour.  There  are  offences  against 
the  unwritten  code  of  these  callings  which  are  punished  by  the 
members  of  these  callings  with  the  connivance,  perhaps  with 
the  approval,  of  the  public.  Is  that  wrong  per  se  in  working- 
men  which  is  right  in  medical  and  legal  practitioners?  If  a 
physician  or  surgeon  is  guilty  of  unprofessional  conduct,  his 
fellows  decline  to  serve  with  him,  as  far  as  possible  exclude  him 
from  their  society,  or  even  exclude  him  from  practice.  *  *  * 
"  '  I  see  no  reason  why  a  similar  rule  of  action  should  not  be 
adopted  by  artisans,  and  acknowledged  by  employers.  It  might 
make  better  and  more  trustworthy  workmen  ;  for  the  machinery 
of  such  a  censorship  would  certainly  increase  the  self-respect 
of  those  who  were  subjected  to  it.'  " 


CHAPTER  XVII 


THE   INWARD   CONFLICT 


w 


ELL/'  said  my  uncle,  when  I  had  finished, 
what  are  we  to  infer  from  all  this  ?  " 

"  We  are  to  infer,"  I  replied,  "  that  since  there  exists 
on  the  one  hand  the  power  of  concentrated  wealth,  there 
should,  on  the  other  hand,  exist  an  equal  power  in  the 
concentration  of  labour.  Otherwise,  it  must  necessar- 
ily follow  that  the  stronger  will  crush  the  weaker. 
A  balance  of  power  between  them  would  tend  toward 
equitable  adjustment  of  the  questions  which  concern 
both  sides." 

"  Are  you  speaking,"  asked  my  uncle,  "  from  a  rich 
man's  point  of  view,  or  from  a  workingman's  point  of 
view  ?  ' ' 

"  From  neither,"  I  replied,  "  I  simply  take  the 
stand  of  an  American  citizen,  whose  desire  it  is  to  pro- 
mote the  political,  social  and  economic  welfare  of  all 
the  people." 

"  If  I  did  not  know  you,"  said  my  uncle,  "  and 
heard  you  say  that,  I  should  take  you  for  a  cheap  can- 
didate for  Congress,  speaking  to  your  constituency  for 
impression's  sake.  Knowing  you  as  I  do,  I  can  only 
conclude  you  have  a  tendency  toward  sentimentalism. 

128 


The  Inward  Conflict  129 

"  I  am  reminded  of  an  incident  that  seems  pertinent. 
When  I  was  a  boy,  I  once  saw  our  German  cook  take 
a  dish  of  sHced  cucumbers,  and,  after  sprinkling  them 
with  salt,  cover  them  with  a  plate,  on  the  top  of  which 
she  placed  a  flat-iron.  '  Why  do  you  do  that  ?  '  I 
asked.  '  Come  back  soon,'  she  said,  '  and  I  will  show 
you.'  I  did  so,  and  the  cook,  removing  the  flat-iron 
and  the  plate,  then  held  the  dish  of  cucumbers  over  the 
sink,  when,  to  my  surprise,  quite  an  amount  of  water 
flowed  from  it  as  it  was  tipped.  *  Where  did  the  water 
come  from?  '  I  asked.  '  Out  of  the  cucumbers,'  said 
she,  and  added,  '  the  salt  and  the  weight  of  the  flat-iron 
forced  the  water  out.'  '  But  why  do  you  want  to  force 
the  water  out  ? '  I  persisted.  '  To  take  the  stomach- 
ache out  of  the  cucumbers,'  she  replied.  '  That  water 
contained  all  that  does  the  harm.  Now  the  cucumbers 
are  wholesome,  and  you  may  eat  all  you  like.' 

"  So,  my  dear  nephew,"  he  continued,  "  the  thing 
which  will  do  the  same  for  your  mind  in  its  present 
state,  which  will  remove  the  nonsense  and  sentimental- 
ism  from  it,  is  for  you  to  enter  actively  into  a  business 
career.  Business  contact,  business  experience  and 
business  laws  will  soon  remove  the  mass  of  objection- 
able, impracticable  ideas  which  seem  to  possess  you. 
Do  not  for  a  moment  think  that  I  speak  as  a  crusty  old 
man,  soured  by  unfortunate  experiences.  I  am,  on  the 
contrary,  as  you  know,  a  successful  man  of  business, 
and  believe  I  understand  what  I  am  talking  about. 

"  Let  your  suggestion  be  once  carried  out  ;  let  there 
be  a  concentration  of  say  five  million  workingmen  in 
one  organisation,  and  what  would  happen  ?  Dema- 
gogues and  blatherskites  would  fill  every  office  of  the 
land,  from  president  and  chief-justice  down  to  pound- 
master.     Corruption  would  run  riot,  impracticable  and 


130  Let  There  Be  Light 

crazy  reformers  would  swarm  like  rats  in  an  old  market; 
treachery,  villainy,  cruelty  and  inhumanity  would  be 
rampant  ;  and  fortunate  indeed  would  that  once  rich 
man  be  who  could  gather  up  sufficient  means  to  take 
himself  off  to  Russia,  or  to  some  other  country  where 
centralised  power  was  still  out  of  the  hands  of  sav- 
age beasts. 

"  I  would  give  a  substantial  sum  if  I  could  recall 
what  I  said  last  night  at  the  meeting.  I  wish  you 
would  ask  j^our  stenographer  to  bring  me  all  the  copies, 
together  with  his  short-hand  report,  so  that  I  can  at 
least  destroy  the  record  of  my  own  words." 

"  As  you  like.  Uncle  Harry,"  said  I  ;  and  I  called 
the  stenographer. 

"  Have  you  finished  the  copies  of  the  report  of  the 
meeting  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  Yes,  sir." 

' '  Please  bring  them  to  me,  together  with  your  short- 
hand notes." 

"  Six  copies  are  delivered,"  he  replied.  "  The  secre- 
tary asked  if  he  might  have  them  this  noon,  for  distri- 
bution, so  I  gave  them  to  him.  Here  is  your 
copy." 

"  You  might  be  able  to  get  those  copies,  Joseph,  if 
you  sent  for  them, ' '  said  my  uncle.  ' '  Or  j'ou  might  go 
after  them  yourself. ' ' 

"  That  would  hardly  do,  Henry,"  observed  my  aunt, 
"  after  what  you  said  last  night  about  consenting  to  the 
publicity  of  a  report." 

Further  conv^ersation  on  this  point  was  prevented  by 
the  arrival  of  a  written  message  for  ni}^  uncle.  He 
took  it,  glanced  at  it,  and,  with  a  smile  of  triumph, 
handed  it  to  me,  saying,  "  Read." 

I  read  : 


The  Inward  Conflict  131 

"The  Committee  on  Grievances  have  just  called  on  me,  and 
gave  notice  that  the  men  will  quit  to-night  unless  Wilkins  is 
taken  back.      What  shall  I  do?       J.  T.  McCai,l,  Contractor." 

"  Take  him  back,"  was  the  reply  of  my  uncle  ;  and, 
dismissing  the  messenger,  he  said  :  "  You  see?  This 
man  Wilkins  is  a  bully;  he  grossly  insulted  my  private 
overseer,  whom  I  sent  to  inspect  the  Third  Avenue 
buildings  now  going  up,  and  I  ordered  McCall  to  dis- 
miss him.  You  see  the  result.  The  cowardly  loafer  is 
to  go  back  to  his  place,  or  I  have  a  strike  on  my  hands. 
But  I  am  glad  this  happened,  for  it  illustrates  what  I 
have  just  been  saying. 

"  I  wish,"  he  continued,  "  that  I  had  authority  over 
you  ;  but  as  I  have  not,  I  earnestly  beg  and  entreat 
you,  Joseph,  and  Dorothy  as  well,  to  avoid,  in  future, 
any  hob-nobbing  with  these  workingmen." 

Saying  which  he  looked  at  his  watch,  and,  with  an 
exclamation  of  surprise  at  the  lateness  of  the  hour,  hur- 
ried away  to  meet  his  appointments. 

*'  What  do  you  think  of  all  this,  Aunt  Barbara  ?  " 
asked  Doroth}^ 

"  I  hardly  know,"  my  aunt  replied.  "  I  am  very 
much  puzzled.  I  certainly  thought  last  night  that  my 
husband  spoke  and  acted  in  full  accord  with  reason  and 
conscience ;  but  I  confess  that  what  he  said  to-day  seems 
reasonable,  too  ;  does  it  not  ? ' ' 

"  According  to  our  standard  of  reasoning, "  I  replied, 
"  yes." 

"  What  he  said  to-day  may  accord  with  our  reason," 
said  Dorothy,  "  but  I  do  not  believe  it  accords  with  the 
promptings  of  our  conscience.  I  believe,"  she  added, 
after  a  pause,  "  as  I  told  Mr.  Morton,  that  last  night  he 
was  his  normal  self ;  but  to-day  he  seems  to  be  under 
the  business  influence  of  the  real  estate  man." 


'32  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  He  seems  to  me, "  said  I,  "  to  have  been  normal  on 
both  occasions." 

"  That  sounds  paradoxical,"  remarked  my  aunt, 
"  Can  you  make  it  clearer  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  make  it  so  clear  as  I  should  like,"  I  re- 
plied. "  I  can  only  give  the  impression  on  my  mind. 
First  of  all,  I  think  we  do  Mr.  Morton  an  injustice  so 
long  as  we  attribute  to  him  alone  these  paradoxical 
opinions.  I  think  each  one  of  us  here,  as  well  as  others 
elsewhere,  is  influenced  by  similar  contradictory  opin- 
ions. I  do  not  know  whether  mankind  was  created 
perfect,  as  is  set  forth  in  Genesis,  or  whether  we  have 
evolved  from  some  primitive  and  savage  type.  But 
whichever  is  the  case,  mankind  must  necessarily  be 
possessed  of  the  two  conflicting  ideas.  If  we  adopt  the 
v^ersion  in  Genesis,  we  must  conclude  that  man  was 
originally  perfect,  but  that  since  the  fall  he  has  degen- 
erated. If  we  accept  the  theorj''  of  evolution,  we  must 
conclude  that,  originally,  man  was  on  a  level  with  brute 
animals,  but  that  evolutionary  development  has  brought 
about  his  higher  ideas." 

"  But  did  not  the  higher  ideas  come  to  us  through 
revelation,"  asked  my  aunt, — "  through  the  religious 
teachers  commissioned  by  God  to  teach  those  ideas  to 
us?" 

"  Unquestionably,"  I  replied.  "  There  is  no  greater 
factor  in  the  elevation  of  mankind  than  such  revelation. ' ' 

"  Then  must  it  not  follow,"  remarked  Dorothy,  "  that 
persons  who  are  governed  solely  by  the  real  estate  man's 
idea  are  uncivilised  ?  " 

"  So  it  seems,"  replied  my  aunt  ;  and  she  hesitated  a 
moment.  "  But  I  do  not  think  my  husband  is  governed 
solely  by  this  idea." 

"  Nor  do  I,"  hastily  exclaimed  Dorothy.     "  You 


The  Inward  Conflict  133 

remember  I  said  that  very  thing  to  him  only  a  short 
time  ago." 

"  I  think  as  you  do,"  said  I  ;  "  and  I  believe,  as  I 
said,  that  each  one  of  us  here,  as  well  as  others  else- 
where, is  influenced  by  these  contradictory  opinions, 
which  are  constantly  striving  within  us  for  the 
mastery." 

"  How  strange,"  mused  Dorothy,  "  to  think  of  this 
conflict  going  on  constantly  within  us,  almost  as  told 
by  Zoroaster  or  in  the  Avesta  !  We,  too,  seem  to  be 
actuated  on  the  one  hand  by  Ormuzd,  the  good  prin- 
ciple, and  on  the  other  hand  by  Ahriman,  the  principle 
of  evil." 

"  Yes,"  I  said,  "  and  also  by  Mithra,  the  con- 
ciliator." 

"  Which  principle  will  obtain  the  victory  ?  "  asked 
my  aunt. 

* '  The  law  of  development  would  indicate, ' '  I  replied, 
"  that  in  the  end  the  good  principle  must  prevail." 

"  Let  us  hope  so,"  said  my  aunt,  as  she  and  Dorothy 
arose  to  go. 

Late  that  afternoon  my  uncle  departed  unexpectedly 
for  Chicago,  whither  he  had  been  summoned  on  busi- 
ness which  was  expected  to  consume  several  days. 
And  on  the  following  day  Dorothy,  who  had  learned 
of  the  illness  of  a  relative  in  Boston,  deemed  it  her  duty 
to  leave  us  also  for  a  time. 

Thus  left  to  myself,  I  became  concerned  as  to  what 
course  to  pursue  in  regard  to  the  next  club  meeting,  the 
date  appointed  for  which  soon  began  to  draw  near. 
Finally,  after  deliberation,  I  decided  not  to  attend,  but 
to  send  my  stenographer  to  make  his  report,  in  the 
manner  on  which  we  had  first  agreed. 

This  I  did;  and  the  report  is  here  reproduced  in  full. 


r' 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

COMPETITION   AND   COLLECTIVISM   COMPARED 

REPORT  of  the  meeting  of  The  Twentieth  Cen- 
tury Club,  New  York,  March  15,  1899. 

Meeting  began  at  7.45  p.m.     All  members  present. 

Ezra. —  The  meeting  will  now  come  to  order.  The 
secretary  will  read  the  minutes  of  the  last  meeting. 

After  the  reading  of  the  minutes,  Ezra  arose  and  said: 
"  The  subject  for  the  meeting  this  evening  is  '  Compe- 
tition and  Collectivism  Compared.'  Mr.  Bradley  is 
censor  of  the  evening.  The  first  speaker  will  be  Mr. 
Quail." 

Mr.  Qziail. —  Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen  :  I  deem 
it  proper  to  begin  my  remarks  this  evening  by  quoting 
the  closing  paragraph  of  the  president's  remarks  at  the 
last  meeting.  He  said  :  "  Is  it  not  possible,  after  all, 
that  these  very  men,  these  very  socialists,  may  be  the 
seers,  the  prophets,  of  this  age,  and  for  the  whole 
world  ?  ' ' 

Socialists  tell  us  that  collectivism  is  a  means  for  the 
attainment  of  that  measure  of  equity  in  our  social  sys- 
tem which  would  remove  the  cause  of  the  injustice 
now  inflicted  by  a  favoured  few  upon  the  unfortunate 
many. 

134 


Competition  and  Collectivism      135 

Now  this  may  be  a  small  matter  to  a  millionaire;  for 
if  collectivism  would  give  him  social  equality,  does  he 
not  without  it  have  all  that  equality  and  much  more 
besides  ?  But  the  case  is  quite  different  with  those  who 
are  not  millionairCvS,  and  especially  with  those  who  are 
not  likely  to  become  such. 

Take  the  case  of  my  people,  the  coloured  race  :  what 
chance  have  we  under  the  present  system  ?  Under  it 
our  race  and  colour  serve  as  a  handicap  to  our  progress. 
We  must  work  at  a  cheaper  rate,  and  assume  a  more 
servile  air  than  others,  or  else  starve.  And  when  we 
attempt  to  comply  with  these  requirements,  we  are  de- 
nominated "  scabs  "  by  one  class  and  inferiors  by  the 
other.  And  thus  the  inferiority,  from  which  we  would 
fly,  is  the  more  thrust  upon  us  and  riveted  fast,  until 
in  sheer  despair  we  are  tempted  to  question  the  wisdom 
and  the  goodness  of  the  Almighty.  We  are  tempted  to 
ask  Him  why  He  has  placed  a  heart  within  us  which 
yearns  for  political,  social  and  economic  justice,  why 
He  has  placed  us  in  a  framework  and  physical  form  like 
those  of  other  men,  and  has  at  the  same  time  blackened 
our  skin.  Why  has  this  been  done  ?  Was  it  simply  to 
provide  the  brutal  and  the  heartless  of  other  races  and 
colours  a  chance  to  vent  their  brutality  and  heartless- 
ness  upon  us  ? 

What  chance  is  there  for  escape  ?  Will  a  period  of 
time  under  this  climate  whiten  our  skins  and  straighten 
our  hair  ?  Alas,  no  such  hope  comes  to  our  relief. 
Must  we  continue  to  receive,  at  the  hands  of  the  domin- 
ant races,  such  driblets  of  social  justice  as  they  may 
choose  to  give  us  ;  and  in  a  manner  much  the  same  as 
that  in  which  they  give  their  refuse  food  to  the  tramp 
and  to  the  criminal  ? 

And  now  when  collectivism  is  offered  by  socialists  as 


136  Let  There  Be  Light 

a  remedy  which  promises  to  replace  the  present  un- 
happy and  unjust  discriminations  against  us  by  a  sys- 
tem so  just  and  equitable  as  to  meet  the  ideal  of  our 
highest  aspiration,  shall  we  refuse  to  accept  it  ?  Shall 
we  shut  out  this  ray  of  hope  for  such  a  blessed  consum- 
mation ?  And  why  ?  What  other  help,  what  other 
hope  is  there  for  my  race  ? 

I  confess  that  before  I  heard  Mr.  Fisher  on  the  subject, 
I  was  under  the  impression  that,  in  some  way  unknown 
to  me,  the  time  would  come  when  my  race  would  really 
enjoy  that  equality  and  fraternity  which  the  common 
brotherhood  of  man  and  the  Fatherhood  of  God  entitle 
the  black  man  to  receive  at  the  hands  of  the  white  man. 

It  is  true  that  I  spoke  hopefully  and  even  cheerfully 
at  our  last  meeting  concerning  the  destiny  of  this  na- 
tion. I  was  then  animated  with  the  hope  that  my 
people  were  to  be  sharers  in  its  destiny  and  in  its  glory. 
But,  alas,  what  Mr.  Fisher  said  at  that  meeting  con- 
cerning my  people  is  only  too  true.  The  people  of  my 
colour,  under  the  present  system,  are  outcasts;  not  only 
outcasts  as  the  poor  are  among  the  rich ;  we  are  likewise 
outcasts  among  the  poor.  What  white  man,  however 
degraded,  would  care  to  change  colour  with  us,  even  if 
thus  he  could  gain  the  level  of  his  ambition  ?  Wherever 
we  go,  wherever  we  turn,  we  find  ourselves  the  victims 
of  that  embodiment  of  refined  cruelty  known  as  ostra- 
cism. Of  what  avail  higher  education,  exalted  achieve- 
ment ?  Would  these  not  serve  but  to  develop  and 
intensify  our  sufierings  ? 

If  our  humiliations  and  our  manifold  wrongs  are  to 
continue,  would  it  not  be  more  manly,  and  less  hypo- 
critical, for  the  white  races,  once  for  all,  to  declare,  and 
to  declare  openly,  that  we  are  not  members  of  the  hu- 
man race,  that  we  are  animals  pure  and  simple  ?     It  is 


Competition  and  Collectivism      137 

true  that  God's  Book  declares  that  we,  too,  are  His 
children  ;  but  then,  if  the  white  man  can  set  God  aside 
in  his  treatment  of  his  black  brother,  he  might  just  as 
well,  for  consistency's  sake,  modify  the  wrong  by  claim- 
ing that  God  was  mistaken. 

Shakespeare  makes  Shylock  complain  of  the  treat- 
ment of  him  and  of  his  people  at  the  hand  of  Christ- 
ians ;  but  what  is  the  complaint  of  the  Jew  when 
measured  by  our  complaint  ?  If  the  Jew  would  but 
truckle  to  fanaticism  and  bigotry,  if  he  would  but  choose 
to  run  to  the  baptismal  font,  to  change  his  religion,  and 
to  intermarry,  could  he  not  soon  obliterate  any  and  all 
causes  for  aggressive  enmity  ?  Surely.  And  would 
any  Christian  denomination  refuse  to  accept  him  ? 
Are  they  not  one  and  all  willing  and  eager  to  receive 
him  ?  The  complaint  of  the  Jew  is,  therefore,  of  his 
own  making  ;  he  can  remove  it  at  will.  Eut,  alas,  we 
poor  negroes  are  not  so  happily  situated;  we  are  black, 
and  our  colour  is  our  prison.  Shall  it  continue  to  be 
so  for  all  time  ? 

Wherein  is  our  escape  from  this  prison,  from  the 
slavery  of  ostracism  ?  If  we  see  now  a  ray  of  hope,  a 
chance  for  escape  through  socialism,  shall  we  not  grasp 
that  chance,  even  as  a  drowning  man  grasps  at  a  straw  ? 
Surely.  Then  may  God  speed  the  day  of  the  real 
emancipation,  of  the  real  equality,  of  the  real  fraternity, 
of  the  real  liberty  ! 

Ezra. —  The  second  speaker  will  be  Mr.  Valanti. 

Mr.  Vala?iti. —  Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen  :  The 
subject  for  discussion  this  evening  is  "  Competition  and 
Collectivism  Compared,"  but  how  can  we  practically 
compare  the  known  with  the  unknown  ?  The  com- 
petitive system  has  been  and  is  in  operation  ;  may  we 
say  the  same  of  collectivism  ? 


138  Let  There  Be  Light 

That  some  phase  of  communistic  collectivism  has 
been  in  operation  in  various  countries  and  at  divers 
times  is  true.  That  collectivism,  on  the  scale  proposed 
by  modern  socialists,  has  ever  been  in  operation  is  not 
true.  It  is,  therefore,  in  the  form  of  a  theoretic  and 
speculative  proposition  that  it  comes  before  us  ;  and  in 
comparing  it  with  the  competitive  system,  we  should 
not  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  we  are  compaiing  a  con- 
dition with  a  theory. 

I  confess  that,  as  a  theory,  collectivism  has  many 
points  of  attraction,  especially  for  the  poor,  the  op- 
pressed, the  unfortunate  and  the  outcast.  But  the 
same  may  be  said  of  whiskey,  tobacco  and  opium  ;  for 
they,  too,  lull  the  senses  and  soothe  the  nerves  ;  so  do 
story  books,  and  plaj^s  which  suit  the  humor  of  the  oc- 
casion. But  these  things  are  simply  palliatives,  from 
which  there  is  an  awakening  to  the  reality,  to  the  stern 
reality,  of  a  condition.  We  must  sooner  or  later 
awaken  to  the  real  and,  to  many  of  us,  unpalatable  fact 
that  we  are  governed  b}''  a  condition.  Tr}^  as  we  may, 
we  are  held  fast  in  the  embrace  of  a  law  as  imperiously 
operative  in  social  affairs  as  is  the  law  of  gravitation  in 
the  domain  of  physics. 

Dreamers  have  from  time  to  time  tried  to  set  this  law 
aside.  We  see  instances  of  such  attempts  during  the 
Roman  Republic,  in  the  form  of  repeated  cancellations 
of  debts,  in  the  agrarian  laws,  and  in  the  granting 
of  largess  to  the  poor.  In  modern  times  we  see 
similar  efforts  in  the  uprisings  of  the  peasants  and 
of  the  poor  in  Europe,  and  in  the  notable  struggle 
in  France  vv^hen  the  guillotine  performed  its  bloody 
function. 

What  were  the  results  of  all  these  attempts  ?  They 
scarcely  produced  a  ripple  on  the  surface  of  the  social 


Competition  and  Collectivism      139 

current  ;  the  competitive  S5^stem  continued,  and  still 
continues. 

It  is  patent  to  all  that  the  competitive  system  de- 
mands the  awakening  and  development  of  all  the 
qualities  latent  within  us,  which,  when  exerted,  make 
for  the  highest  service,  and  thus  earn  the  highest  re- 
ward. 

But  now  come  the  moral,  mental  and  spiritual  lag- 
gards, the  lazybones  of  the  social  structure,  and  try  to 
show  us  an  easy  road  to  happy-land.  These,  per- 
mitting themselves  free  rein,  spur  on  their  imagina- 
tions, and  succeed  in  the  childish  task  of  overcoming  a 
condition  by  a  theory.  In  reality,  what  have  they  ac- 
complished ?     What  but  mischief? 

The  agitation  of  socialistic  theories  in  recent  years 
has  had  the  vicious  effect  of  branding  as  socialistic,  com- 
munistic and  anarchistic  every  attempt  of  the  workers 
to  better  their  condition. 

We  all  know  that  the  workingman  who  is  not  a 
socialist  or  an  anarchist  simply  seeks,  through  agita- 
tion, to  remove  such  prominent  obstacles  in  the  path  of 
his  progress  as  he  believes  it  is  in  his  power  to  remove. 

The  socialist  or  anarchist,  on  the  other  hand,  sneers 
and  jeers  at  all  this  as  a  vain  attempt  at  profitless  pal- 
liatives. Of  palliatives  he  will  have  none.  Nothing 
short  of  unconditional  surrender  of  the  present  system, 
and  the  substitution  of  his  theory  in  its  stead,  will  suit 
him.  His  continuous  and  vehement  shouting  has 
tended  to  create  the  impression  among  the  general  pub- 
lic that  all  labour  agitations  are  necessarily  socialistic 
or  anarchistic.  This  impression  is  highly  injurious  to 
the  cause  of  labour,  and  loses  for  it  that  sympathy  from 
the  employing  class  which  it  might  otherwise  have. 

We  who   are   members  of  labour  unions   are   not 


140 


Let  There  Be  Light 


deceived  in  these  matters.  We  know  that  radical  re 
formers  are  but  an  insignificant  fraction  of  the  great 
body  composing  the  industrial  legions;  and,  even  then, 
the  camp  of  the  radicals  is  divided  into  the  antagonistic 
divisions  of  single  taxers,  collectivists,  communists  and 
anarchists. 

That  there  is  much  yet  to  be  done  in  the  interest  of 
labour,  no  one  will  deny;  but  what  profit  can  we  expect 
from  an  agitation  which  has  for  its  ultimate  end  the  im- 
practicable and  the  unattainable  ? 


CHAPTER  XIX 


A   PLEA   FOR  SOCIALISM 


Ezra. —  The  third  speaker  will  be  Mr.  Fisher. 

Mr.  Fisher. — Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen  :  Several 
years  ago  I  was  at  Owens  Lake,  in  Inyo  County,  Cali- 
fornia. Captain  Keeler,  a  pioneer  of  that  section, 
accompanied  me  to  several  points  of  interest  in  the 
valley.  Stopping  in  front  of  the  lake,  and  facing  the 
Inyo  Mountains,  he  pointed  toward  the  foot  hills,  and 
said,  "  Right  over  there  you  can  see  the  Indian  Princess 
Owahlanche." 

I  looked,  but  could  only  see  a  group  of  barren  craggy 
rocks.  "  Look  again,"  he  said.  I  did  so,  but  with  no 
better  results. 

"  Not  all  who  come  here  can  see  the  princess,"  said 
Captain  Keeler,  "  and  the  Indians  have  a  tradition  that 
the  evil-hearted  can  never  see  her." 

I  tried  as  hard  as  I  could  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the 
princess,  but  with  no  success.  As  I  was  about  to 
abandon  the  attempt,  I  was  delightfully  surprised  to 
discern  the  clear-cut  and  life-like  outlines  of  an  Indian 
woman's  head  and  bust.  It  was  majestic  and  classic  in 
simplicity,  grandeur  and  beauty. 

"  Was  this  done  by  the  Indians  ?  "  I  asked. 
141 


142  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  It  could  hardly  have  been  done  by  human  hands," 
replied  the  Captain  ;  "for  what  seems,  from  this  point 
of  view,  but  a  few  feet  in  diameter,  is,  in  reality,  several 
hundred  feet  in  width,  and  no  vestige  of  the  outline  can 
be  observed  when  one  is  much  nearer  the  mountain  side. 
It  is  only  from  this  point  that  the  outline  can  be  seen, 
and  only  then  by  the  few,  and  after  much  effort." 

As  with  Ovvahlanche,  so  with  collectivism  ;  some 
come  too  near,  and  see  only  boulders  or  flint-edged 
rocks  ;  others  are  too  far  off,  and  see  only  a  mountain 
range. 

There  was  a  time  in  the  history  of  the  world  when 
opinions  on  government,  on  religion,  on  conduct  and 
on  manners  were  property,  and  owned  by  high  priest 
and  by  king.  By  these  they  were  sold  in  wholesale 
lots  to  dukes  and  bishops.  At  last  they  reached  the 
people,  who  bought  them  at  retail  from  priest,  soldier 
and  policeman. 

Then  came  the  pioneers  of  science,  who  investigated 
this  strange  property,  this  curious  merchandise,  and 
found  much  of  it  adulterated,  impure,  valueless  and 
unwholesome.  The)^  then  set  to  work  and  produced 
many  and  varied  improvements,  and  offered  them  to 
the  people  at  their  proper  value.  The  people  would 
have  eagerly  availed  themselves  of  this  offer,  but  the 
kings  and  high  priests,  —  those  arch-monopolists,  — 
would  not  permit  it. 

At  length  the  people  arose,  and,  brushing  aside  these 
restrictions,  declared  the  men  of  science  their  patrons, 
and  became  their  clients.  And  the  men  of  science  con- 
tinued gaining  patronage  in  every  department  of  scien- 
tific research  excepting  one,  and  the  name  of  that  one 
department  is  social  science, —  socialism. 

The  men  of  science  were  at  length  permitted  to  busy 


A  Plea  for  Socialism  H3 

themselves  in  religion,  in  astronomy,  in  chemistry,  in 
geology,  in  botany,  in  psychology,  and  even  in  politics. 
But  a  strict,  sharp  watch  was  kept  on  them  everywhere, 
to  prevent  them  from  entering  the  field  of  socialism. 

An  exception  was,  indeed,  made  in  the  case  of  those 
who  took  up  this  branch  of  inquiry  for  the  purpose  of 
misrepresenting  and  belittling  it  ;  but  no  mercy  was 
shown  the  disinterested  and  catholic  worker  in  this  de- 
partment.    And  so  it  continues  even  to  this  day. 

Shall  it  always  be  so  ?  No  !  The  time  will  come 
when  this  barrier  shall  likewise  be  brushed  aside.  The 
very  soul  of  progress,  the  true  trend  of  development, 
demand  the  abandonment  of  error,  wrong  and  injustice 
as  embodied  in  the  competitive  system. 

While  much  error  has  already  been  removed  from 
many  branches  of  science,  there  is  still  great  darkness 
in  the  department  of  social  science.  How  may  this 
darkness  be  dispelled,  so  long  as  the  light  is  excluded 
by  rigorous  restrictions  ?  Fortunately,  there  are  forces 
at  work,  which,  in  their  operation,  will  presently  come 
to  the  aid  of  the  socialist,  and  will  enable  him  to  over- 
come any  and  all  artificial  obstructions.  Nor  need 
there  be  any  difficulty  in  perceiving  what  these  forces 
are  ;  they  are  so  prominently  in  evidence  that  they 
cannot  be  concealed  or  obscured. 

Chief  among  these  forces  comes  the  multiplication  of 
inventions;  second,  the  concentration  of  wealth;  third, 
—  as  we  were  informed  by  our  president  at  the  last 
meeting, —  the  shifting  of  the  world's  price-fixing  base 
for  the  staples  of  agriculture  from  Western  and  Central 
Europe  and  the  United  States  to  the  cheapest  land  and 
labour  countries  of  the  world  ;  fourth,  the  introduction 
of  the  factory  system  into  the  Orient. 

Some  economists,  in  commenting  upon  all  this,  say: 


144  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  When  wages  decline  to  a  certain  degree,  and  when  at 
the  same  time  all  other  things  decline  to  a  like  degree, 
then  there  is  neither  loss  nor  gain  "  ;  which  is  the  same 
as  saj'ing  :  "  Whenever  a  man  begins  to  shrink,  and 
shrinks  to  a  certain  degree,  and  when  his  coat  at  the 
same  time  shrinks  to  a  corresponding  degree,  then  man 
and  coat  will  fit  each  other,  even  though  the  man  began 
as  a  Goliath  and  ends  as  a  Tom  Thumb."  But  how 
would  it  work  if  the  man  grew  larger  and  stouter,  and 
the  coat  at  the  same  time  continued  to  shrink  and 
shrink  ?  Do  not  our  wants  increase  with  the  increase 
of  civilisation,  and  are  not  our  means  decreasing  ? 
Universal  education  and  universal  suffrage  have  in- 
creased current  needs,  but  the  new  and  significant 
changes  now  going  on  in  the  world  of  economics  tend 
to  diminish  the  just  return  for  labour.  In  what  must 
all  this  end  ? 

Now  let  us  take  another  view  of  the  subject.  In  the 
beginning  of  the  historic  period,  we  find  the  competi- 
tive system  but  feebly  developed.  The  communal  sys- 
tem prevailed  to  a  greater  extent  than  is  generally 
understood.  Family  groups  and  tribes,  as  a  rule,  held 
and  worked  their  lands  in  common,  and  traces  of  this 
system  have  come  down  to  us  in  the  Mir  of  Russia. 

The  concentration  of  the  tribes  into  nations  facilitated 
the  formation  of  two  distinct  and  vicious  organisations, 
— the  military  order  and  the  priestly  order.  These  two 
orders  combined  to  levy  toll  ;  one  toll  for  the  chief 
bridge-builder,  the  high  priest,  and  the  other  toll  for 
the  chief  soldier,  the  recognised  and  privileged  whole- 
sale robber. 

And  this  toll, —  what  of  it  in  our  day?  Pay  unto 
Caesar  the  things  which  are  Caesar's.  But  what  of  the 
modern   Caesar,    capitalism  ?     What   of  his  rent,    his 


A  Plea  for  Socialism  145 

interest,  his  profit,  and  his  swollen  charges  for  direct- 
ion ?  Behold  his  intricate  network,  his  cunning  devices 
for  exacting  toll.  Instead  of  the  traditional  penny  bear- 
ing Caesar's  likeness  which  was  shown  the  Master  in 
Palestine,  let  us  take  a  lamp,  a  chair,  a  pane  of  glass,  a 
yard  of  cloth,  or  any  of  the  thousand  and  one  objects  of 
manufacture,  and  inquire  what  proportion  of  the  retail 
price  is  represented  by  the  cost  of  raw  material  and 
labour,  and  what  proportion  is  represented  as  the  toll  of 
the  modern  Caesar,  capitalism  ?  This  will  tell  the  story, 
and  yet  not  all  of  it  ;  for,  besides  these,  there  are  other 
and  many  ten  thousand  methods  for  the  absorption  of 
the  rightful  earnings  of  labour.  These  earnings  it  is 
intended  to  restore  through  collectivism. 

Is  not  the  earth  fruitful  enough  in  response  to  labour  ? 
Are  there  not  enough  labourers  ?  Then  why  do  the 
millions  lack  ?  We  permit  the  greedy,  swinish  absorber 
and  toll-gatherer  to  rob  and  deceive  us.  Shall  there 
not  be  an  end  to  this  gigantic  wrong,  to  this  intolerable 
evil  ? 

We  are  told  that  collectivism  will  engender  still 
greater  wrongs,  that  it  will  breed  still  greater  tyrants 
than  are  our  present  toll-gatherers.  We  are  told  that 
it  will  produce  a  dangerous  power,  and  will  concentrate 
that  power  in  the  hands  of  the  few,  by  whom  it  will  be 
likely  to  be  abused.  The  fallacy  of  this  statement  is 
evident  as  soon  as  we  observe  the  operation  of  any  well- 
organised  joint-stock  company.  In  these,  does  not  each 
man  find  in  the  success  of  the  whole  the  measure  of  his 
own  success  ?  And  what  is  now  done  by  several  mem- 
bers of  a  corporation  will  be  the  better  done  by  all  the 
people. 

We  are  further  told  that  under  socialism,  under  col- 
lectivism, there  will  be  no  incentive  to  exertion  or  to 


146  Let  There  Be  Light 

development,  because  there  will  be  no  extra  money  re- 
ward for  such  exertion.  But  cannot  rewards  of  honour 
and  renown  do  as  much  to  spur  on  endeavour  as  can 
rewards  of  money  ? 

They  tell  us  we  are  but  few  in  numbers,  and  that  our 
members  belong  to  the  poor  and  outcast  class.  But  was 
it  not  the  same  with  Christianity  in  the  beginning  of  its 
history,  and  has  not  Christianity  outgrown  this  condi- 
tion ?     So  likewise  will  socialism  outgrow  it. 

Some  persons  ignorantly  or  maliciously  condemn  the 
socialistic  doctrine,  calling  it  a  system  of  anarchy;  but 
how  can  that  be  anarch)-  which  is  to  be  governed  by 
law  and  directed  by  constituted  authority  ?  Does  not 
socialism  utterly  abhor,  as  an  abomination,  the  anarchic 
industrialism,  the  anarchic  commercialism  and  the 
anarchic  social  condition  of  to-day  ?  Is  not  its  main 
endeavour  directed  to  the  uprooting  of  anarchy  ?  By 
what  term  may  we  designate  the  stubborn  reiterations 
which  persist  in  falselj^  denoriiiuating  socialism  as  a 
system  of  anarchy  ?  Is  it  not  in  reality  just  the  oppo- 
site ?  May  we  not  justly  claim  that  such  opposition 
must  be  the  result  of  either  malice  or  ignorance  ? 

In  conclusion,  I  would  say  that  a  fair  comparison  of 
competition  and  collectivism  must,  in  the  end,  show 
that  the  former  is  the  embodiment  of  selfishness,  and 
the  latter  of  unselfishness.  Competition  is  the  luxuriant 
field  of  vice,  of  crime,  of  hate  and  of  discord.  Col- 
lectivism would  be  the  very  opposite. 

A  fertile  field,  if  left  to  itself,  will  produce  whatever 
chance  may  cause  to  grow  there.  The  same  field,  prop- 
erly ploughed,  harrowed  and  seeded  with  wheat,  will 
produce  in  abundance  material  for  bread.  Each  grain 
of  seed  wheat  in  the  earth  will  sprout,  and,  cooperating 
with  its  fellow-grains,  will  absorb  the  nutritive  elements 


A  Plea  for  Socialism 


147 


above  and  below  the  surface,  leaving  no  room  for  the 
many  ten  thousand  weeds  which  grew  there  before. 
So  likewise  is  it  proposed,  under  socialism,  to  replace 
the  present  anarchical  system  of  waste,  misuse  and 
chance,  by  a  system  of  law  and  of  regulated  authority. 
May  we  each  and  all  of  us  live  to  see  the  dawn  of  this 
new  era  in  the  history  of  man;  an  era  in  which  inequity 
shall  be  overthrown  by  equity,  and  justice  shall  sway, 
rule  and  govern !  Such  is  the  aim  of  socialism  ;  let  us 
hope  that  this  great  ideal  may  soon  be  realised. 


CHAPTER  XX 


SOME   OBJECTIONS 


Ezra. —  The  fourth  speaker  will  be  Mr.  Moore. 

Mr.  Moore. — Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen:  It  seems 
to  me  as  practicable  to  replace  competition  by  collectiv- 
ism as  it  would  be  to  replace  motion  by  inertia. 

Whatever  does  away  with  competition  at  the  same 
time  does  awaj'  with  collectivism. 

In  my  opinion,  what  we  call  competition  is  but  an- 
other term  for  that  force  in  nature  which  grants 
ascendency  to  the  predominant.  A  child's  see-saw  in 
operation  may  ser\'e  as  an  illustration  to  make  this 
plain.  A  board  poised  at  its  centre  gives  predominance 
to  neither  end  ;  equal  weights  at  both  ends,  at  equal 
distances  from  the  centre,  still  preserve  the  equilibrium, 
and  there  is  no  motion.  It  is  only  unequal  weights,  or 
unequal  distances  from  the  centre,  which  will  cause  one 
side  of  the  board  to  ascend  and  the  other  to  descend. 

"  But,"  say  some,  "  this  is  an  illustration  of  the  law 
of  gravitation,  and  has  no  connection  w^hatever  with 
the  question  at  issue."  The  see-saw  in  motion  illus- 
trates, it  is  true,  the  ascendent  of  the  predominent  in 
the  domain  of  physical  law,  but  the  same  law,  the  as- 
cendent of  the  predominent,  also  sways,  governs,  and 

148 


Some  Objections  149 

rules  in  the  domain  of  psychic  law.  This  law  is  not 
onlj'  operative  in  gravitation,  but  is  likewise  manifest 
in  the  tear  of  the  widow,  the  sob  of  the  orphan,  the 
impulsiv^e  longing  of  the  lover,  the  tender  glance  of 
the  beloved  and  the  greed  of  the  miser,  in  the  scowl  of 
jealousy  and  in  the  murderous  glance  of  rage. 

The  operation  of  this  law  clearly  manifests  that  the 
actuating  force  which  causes  the  emotions  of  joy  or 
grief,  of  love  or  hatred,  of  confidence  or  distrust,  and 
of  sympathy  or  repulsion,  is  centred  in  that  which  pre- 
dominates. It  is  the  desire  to  gain  or  the  fear  of  losing 
some  fancied  or  real  predominant  object  which  governs 
our  emotional  manifestations. 

And  these  manifestations  —  are  they  not  evidences 
of  our  power  of  discrimination  ?  When  we  discriminate, 
do  we  not  assort,  sift,  compare,  reject  and  elect  ?  And 
when  we  do  all  this,  do  we  not  permit  the  various  ideas 
which  present  themselves  to  us  to  compete  with  one 
another  for  ascendency  ?  Is  not  all  this  competition  ? 
It  is  indeed.  Nor  is  this  all  ;  for  each  of  us  is  after  all 
but  a  bundle  of  conserved  force.  The  thoughts  which 
have  entered  our  minds,  which  have  impressed  them- 
selves upon  our  consciousness,  stamp  us  what  we  are. 
Yet  no  rational  being  can  assimilate  an  idea,  an  opin- 
ion, except  through  discrimination,  through  the  law 
of  competition. 

Shall  we,  can  we,  then,  as  rational  beings,  do  away 
with  competition  ?  Do  we  not  see  the  law  of  competi- 
tion govern  and  control  in  all  the  world  of  matter  and 
of  spirit  ?  Is  it  not  grounded  in  universal  law  ?  How, 
therefore,  can  we  ever  do  away  with  competition  ? 

In  saying  what  I  hav^e  said,  I  do  not  wish  it  under- 
stood that  I  am  perfectly  satisfied  with  conditions  as 
they  are,  or  that  I  think  improvements  cannot  be  made. 


ISO  Let  There  Be  Light 

On  the  contrary,  I  believe  that  the  great  achievements 
in  development  are  before  us  and  not  behind  us.  I 
sympathise  with  that  great  body  of  earnest  workers 
known  as  socialists,  for  I  believe  many  of  them  to  be 
disinterested  and  zealous  in  the  cause  of  humanity. 
Believing  so,  I  deem  it  my  duty  to  tell  them  to  revise 
their  proposition,  in  order  that,  when  revised,  it  may 
be  in  accord  with  universal  law,  and  not  contrary  to  it. 

Ezra. —  The  next  speaker  will  be  Mr.  Bradlej^,  the 
censor  of  the  evening. 

Mr.  Bradley. — Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen:  I  shall 
begin  my  remarks  by  criticising  the  second  speaker, 
reserving  until  later  my  criticism  of  the  first. 

The  second  speaker,  in  commenting  on  the  results 
of  agitation  by  the  people,  said  :  "  What  were  the  re- 
sults of  these  attempts  ?  They  scarcely  produced  a 
ripple  on  the  surface  of  the  social  current." 

Is  that  a  fact  ?  Is  there  any  historic  warrant  for  that 
assertion  ?  Certainly  not  ;  we  all  know  that  there  is  a 
most  marked  difference  between  the  present  condition 
of  the  people  and  that  which  existed  prior  to  the  agi- 
tation. We  all  know  that  universal  serfdom  was  the 
former  lot ;  whereas,  at  this  time,  serfdom,  such  as  it 
was,  is  almost  entirely  obliterated  from  the  earth.  Was 
it  not  agitation  which  overthrew  despotism  in  France, 
which  modified  absolutism  everywhere  and  which 
brought  forth  this  Republic  ?     Beyond  a  doubt  it  was. 

Further  on,  the  speaker  designated  socialists  as 
"  moral,  mental  and  spiritual  laggards,  the  lazybones  of 
the  social  structure."  Did  he  have  warrant  for  this? 
Certainly  not.  Not  if  we  are  to  judge  by  such  men  as 
Carl  Marx  or  Ferdinand  I^assalle,  or  by  the  many  other 
and  lesser  lights  in  the  socialistic  field  of  agitation 
throughout  the  world. 


Some  Objections  151 

The  third  speaker,  who  so  vehemently  argued  for 
collectivism  as  against  competition,  made  the  fatal  ad- 
mission that  collectivism  might  be  maintained  by  re- 
wards of  honour  or  renown.  Is  it  possible  to  earn  such 
without  competition  ?  No;  therefore  his  whole  argu- 
ment falls  to  the  ground. 

The  fourth  speaker  asks  the  socialist  to  revise  his 
theory  of  socialism  in  order  that  it  may  conform  to  what 
he  calls  the  universal  law  of  competition,  which  is  about 
the  same  as  if  anyone  were  to  say,  "  I,et  us  abolish 
competition  by  the  adoption  of  the  competitive  sys- 
tem." Thus  we  refute  his  conclusions  by  a  rediidio 
ad  absurdum. 

And  now  let  us  turn  to  the  first  speaker.  I  am 
simply  amazed  at  his  sudden  conversion  to  socialism. 

At  the  meeting  before  the  last,  in  speaking  on  "  The 
Republic  and  Its  Destiny,"  and  in  his  concluding  sen- 
tence on  citizenship,  he  says,  "  This  it  is  which  should 
make  any  man  feel  proud  who,  bearing  the  honoured 
title  of  American  citizen,  understands  how  to  appreci- 
ate that  title."  Has  he,  in  this  short  space  of  time, 
tired  of  the  "  honoured  title"  ?  Has  he  now  girded 
up  his  loins,  ready  to  grasp  the  red  flag  of  socialism  ? 
So  it  seems  ;  but  what  kind  of  a  transfer  has  he  made  ? 
Is  it  really  to  his  profit  ? 

Are  the  socialists  as  eager  to  win  the  people  of  his 
colour  over  to  their  side  as  he  seems  eager  to  join  ? 
And  if  negroes,  why  not  Chinamen  or  Japanese  ?  Yet 
we  see  no  such  stir  to  gain  over  the  dark-skinned 
races  made  by  socialists  as  is  made  by  the  religious  de- 
nominations. In  fact  socialists  generally  display  a 
discreet  silence  on  the  subject,  and  do  but  little  if  any 
missionary  work  in  this  direction. 

But  supposing,  for  the  sake  of  argument,  that  socialism 


152  Let  There  Be  Light 

succeeds  in  establishing  itself,  what  then  ?  Does  our 
coloured  friend  suppose  that,  when  this  shall  have 
come  to  pass,  he  and  his  people  will  then  be  given  an 
equal  chance  and  an  equal  right  to  the  good  things  of 
the  earth  ?  Then  why  not  the  same  rights  to  the 
horse,  the  sheep,  the  dog  or  the  hog?  "But,"  he 
would  reply,  "  we  are  human  beings,  and  the  things 
you  name  are  animals." 

True,  so  far  as  conventional  definitions  are  con- 
cerned. But  the  real  world-measure,  as  it  is  bound  to 
be  under  any  consistently  operative  system,  must  in  its 
final  analysis  be  Service  Value.  Should  it  be  found  that 
the  service  value  of  the  negro  is  below  the  average 
standard,  could  he  then  expect  an  equal  share  with 
superiors  ? 

Must  not  the  negro  first  of  all  climb  to  that  higher  level 
which,  when  reached,  shall  entitle  him  to  the  name  of 
equal  among  men  before  he  may  justly  claim  equality  ? 
Any  other  conclusion  would  seem  to  me  to  be  unten- 
able, inequitable  and  absurd. 


CHAPTER  XXI 


THIRD   SUMMARY    BY    EZRA 


Ezra. — Gentlemen  :  Before  reviewing  the  several  re- 
marks I  feel  inclined  to  state  that  the  impressions  pro- 
duced on  my  mind  by  the  several  speakers,  and  my 
impression  of  the  discussion  as  a  whole,  differ  radically. 
Each  of  the  speakers,  whether  for  or  against,  seemed, 
for  the  time  being,  to  carry  me  with  him.  But  when  I 
try  to  arrive  at  a  final  conclusion,  in  a  form,  so  crystal- 
lised as  to  be  readily  apprehended  by  my  mind,  I  find  it 
impossible  to  do  so. 

I  presume  the  reason  for  this  lies  in  the  fact  that  five, 
and  seemingly  conflicting,  opinions  have  been  pre- 
sented. Let  us  now  see  if  there  cannot  be  found  a  way 
of  conciliating  presentations  apparently  so  divergent. 
Can  we  not  find  a  way  of  unravelling  this  tangled  mass 
of  seeming  contradictions  ?  If  this  could  be  done  it 
would  probably  enable  us  to  grasp  that  broader  and 
more  catholic  view  of  the  question  which  it  would  be 
highly  desirable  to  attain. 

Now,  there  is  a  way  which  presents  itself ;  one,  in- 
deed, which  we  have  employed  on  previous  occasions 
with  good  effect.  It  is  this.  Let  us  set  aside  those 
propositions  of  each  speaker  to  which  we  can  give  our 

153 


154  Let  There  Be  Light 

assent.     Having  done  so,  we  may  then  see  what  kind 
of  a  summary  this  will  result  in. 

To  begin  with,  the  first  speaker  asserts  the  existence, 
under  the  present  system,  of  certain  social  inequalities. 
The  third  speaker  supplements  this  by  the  further  as- 
sertion of  the  existence  of  economic  inequality,  or  in- 
equality in  distribution.  We  may  affirm  both  of  these 
assertions  to  be  facts.  Both  the  first  and  third  speakers 
further  assert  that  these  inequalities  can  be  removed  by 
socialism.  And  this,  at  the  present  time,  we  need 
neither  affirm  nor  deny. 

The  second  speaker  asserts  that  competition  is  a 
known,  and  collectivism  is  an  unknown,  proposition  ; 
he  further  asserts  that  there  can  be  no  practicable  com- 
parison between  the  known  and  the  unknown.  And 
we  may  affirm  this  to  be  true. 

The  third  speaker  asserts  that  the  intellectual  develop- 
ment of  mankind  is  largely  due  to  the  labours  of  the  men 
of  science,  and  in  contravention  of  the  original  desires 
of  Church  and  State.   And  we  may  affirm  this  to  be  true. 

He  likewise  asserts  that  certain  forces  are  at  work 
which  must  powerfully  affect  and  modify  the  present 
system.  Among  these  forces  he  mentions,  first,  the 
multiplication  of  inventions  ;  second,  the  concentration 
of  wealth ;  third,  the  shifting  of  the  world's  price-  fixing 
base  for  the  staples  of  agriculture  from  the  highest  to 
the  lowest  priced  land  and  labour  countries  of  the  world; 
fourth,  the  introduction  of  the  factory  system  into  the 
Orient.     And  we  may  affirm  all  this  to  be  true. 

The  third  speaker  would  have  us  infer  that  under  our 
present  system  of  competition,  capitalism  absorbs,  in 
the  form  of  rent,  interest,  profit  and  direction,  too  great 
a  proportion  of  the  earnings  of  labour.  And  we  may 
also  affirm  this  to  be  true. 


Third  Summary  by  Ezra  155 

We  thus  find  that  the  present  system  engenders  a 
large  measure  of  inequality  and  injustice,  which  the 
socialists  claim  can  be  removed  by  collectivism. 

And  now  it  is  proper  for  us  to  inquire  what  collectiv- 
ism is  ?  Socialists  tell  us  it  is  the  collective  ownership 
and  management  of  the  means  of  production,  and  the 
abolition  of  competition.  And  socialists  have  under- 
taken the  task  of  bringing  this  about. 

That  such  a  plan  can  never  be  materialised,  as  a 
whole,  is  evident  ;  but  that  some  considerable  good 
may,  in  the  end,  be  accomplished  through  this  agita- 
tion, there  can  be  no  question.  Like  all  other  reform 
propositions,  socialism  will  be  obliged  to  modify  its 
original  form,  and  adapt  itself  to  conditions  which  shall 
permit  the  adoption  of  its  tenable  and  practicable  parts. 

That  some  of  the  more  prominent  phases  of  socialism 
will  in  the  end  prevail,  there  can  hardly  be  any  ques- 
tion; for,  as  has  been  pointed  out  by  the  third  speaker, 
the  development  of  the  new  forces  now  at  work  must  in 
the  end  produce  powerful  social  and  economic  changes. 

Socialists  tell  us  that  concentration  of  wealth,  if  con- 
tinued in  the  future  in  the  same  ratio  as  in  the  past,  must 
in  the  end  place  the  means  of  production  in  the  hands  of 
a  syndicate  which,  having  no  competitor,  will  become  the 
sole  international  employer.  In  that  event,  should  the 
people  deprive  such  a  world-syndicate  of  its  right  to 
private  ownership  of  the  means  of  production,  we 
should  then  have  that  kind  of  collectivism  which  most 
socialists  strive  after.  But  would  such  be  a  practicable 
or  an  enduring  system  ?  By  no  means  ;  for,  as  has 
been  shown  by  the  second  and  by  the  fourth  speaker, 
we  can  never  do  away  with  competition. 

In  saying  this  I  do  not  mean  to  imply  that  the  world 
must   necessarily  continue  that  kind  of  competition 


156  Let  There  Be  Light 

which  generates  the  desire  to  absorb  wealth  for  the 
mere  sake  of  possession.  Is  there  not  a  way  of  stimu- 
lating genius  and  energy  by  some  other  incentive  as 
efficient  as  is  the  desire  for  private  gain  ? 

Unfortunately  we  have  not  many  instances  illustrat- 
ive of  the  efficacy  of  other  incentives,  but  we  have 
some;  and  those  instances  are  decisive.  We  need  only 
turn  to  ancient  Greece  and  to  her  Olympian  games. 
What  great  feats,  what  great  deeds,  and  what  great  ac- 
complishments were  not  exhibited  there  !  It  was  at 
these  games  that  the  runners,  the  wrestlers,  the  musi- 
cians, the  artists,  the  poets,  the  writers  and  the  philo- 
sophers came  to  compete  with  one  another.  And  a 
crown  of  leaves  was  deemed  sufficient  reward  for 
achievements  the  renown  of  which  has  come  down  to 
the  present  day  —  a  renown  which  has  made  ancient 
Greece  the  peer  of  the  most  accomplished  nations  of 
antiquity.  To  a  great  extent  a  similar  competitive 
system  of  high  renown  and  of  exalted  honour  stimulated 
the  labours  of  the  sages  and  prophets  of  Judea.  In  a 
modified  form,  a  similar  effect  is  produced  by  many  of 
the  competitors  for  military  honours,  or  for  exalted 
positions  in  government.  Acts  of  heroism  also  illustrate 
this  same  phase. 

What,  after  all,  beyond  affording  the  ordinary  means 
of  subsistence,  is  personal  possession  ?  Is  it  not 
merely  a  s^-mbol  for  the  attainment  of  respect?  A 
man  covets  respect  from  his  fellow-man,  and  this 
he  finds,  at  the  present  time,  in  the  possession 
of  surplus  wealth.  He  finds  that  the  greater  store 
of  surplus  wealth  will  invariably  bring  him  that 
greater  respect  which  he  craves  ;  hence  the  accumula- 
tion of  wealth  becomes  his  greatest  incentive.  Give 
him  a  symbol  of  respect  in  another  form,  let  it  have  an 


Third  Summary  by  Ezra  157 

equal  current  value  in  bringing  him  the  respect  and 
the  honour  which  achievement  ever  craves,  and  he  will 
show  no  lack  of  high  endeavour  and  of  exalted  achieve- 
ment. 

To  deny  the  individual  the  stimulus  of  reward  in  any 
form,  and  to  expect  of  him  the  high  endeavour  which 
progress  demands,  is,  in  my  opinion,  an  absurdity.  So 
long,  therefore,  as  socialism  is  offered  as  a  plan  for  the 
absolute  abolition  of  competition  or  of  competitive  re- 
wards in  any  form,  so  long  must  it  be  considered  as 
utterly  impracticable.  When,  however,  it  shall  advo- 
cate another  and  more  progressive  form  of  competitive 
reward,  it  will  then  be  on  the  high  road  to  accomplish- 
ment. 

That  such  modification  would  be  favourable  to  the 
spread  of  socialism  there  can  be  no  question,  for  it  will 
then  be  in  a  more  acceptable  form,  and  more  readily 
comprehended.  That  some  such  reform  will  in  the 
near  future  be  imperatively  necessary,  there  can  be  no 
question  ;  for  no  one  can  deny  the  fact  that  the  con- 
centration of  wealth  is  going  on.  Nor  is  the  industrial 
development  of  the  Orient  and  the  introduction  there 
of  the  factory  system  any  longer  a  secret.  The  change 
in  the  price-fixing  base  for  the  staples  of  agriculture  is 
now  going  on,  and  astonishment  may  well  be  expressed 
at  the  general  lack  of  information  and  interest  as  to 
the  significance  of  this  change  as  a  factor  in  ultimate 
economic  changes. 

Yet  all  this  is  of  primary  importance.  When  this 
country  was  the  centre  or  price-fixing  base  for  agri- 
cultural staples,  the  stability  of  the  then  high  ruling 
prices  served  to  maintain  in  the  United  States  the 
stability  of  other  industries.  Now,  however,  when 
the  price-fixing  base  is  being  changed  to  the  countries 


15^  Let  There  Be  Light 

of  South  America,  North  Africa,  Australia,  India, 
and  Southern  and  Eastern  Russia,  the  privilege  of 
price-fixing  is  removed  from  the  highest  priced,  and 
transferred  to  the  lowest  priced  land  and  labour  coun- 
tries of  the  world.  The  consequent  reduction  in  the 
w^orld's  price  of  the  staples  of  agriculture  which  this 
has  caused  tends  largely  to  reduce  the  primary  pur- 
chasing power  in  the  United  States,  and  this  condition 
in  turn  must  tend  to  affect  adversely  all  other  depart- 
ments of  industry  in  this  country. 

On  this  head  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  note  that 
it  is  expected  that  the  Trans-Siberian  railway,  connect- 
ing St.  Petersburg  with  Vladivostock,  will  have  been 
completed  within  a  year  or  two.  This  road  will  tap  a 
new  and  fertile  agricultural  region,  great  enough  in 
extent  to  cause  a  lowering  of  the  world's  price  of  the 
staples  of  agriculture  for  many  years  to  come.  All  this 
will  but  tend  to  bring  about  more  quickly  an  intensified 
condition  adverse  to  labour,  not  only  in  this  country, 
but  equally  throughout  Western  and  Central  Europe. 

And  now  there  is  another  factor  which  I  deem  proper 
to  mention  at  this  time.  I  refer  to  inventions.  There 
are  some  who  see  in  them  a  cause  for  the  reduction  in 
opportunities  for  labour.  That  some  suffer  through 
this  factor  is  true  ;  that  many  others  will  likewise  suffer 
as  inventions  multiply,  may  also  be  assented  to.  Yet 
inventions  are  to  play  no  mean  part  in  the  ultimate 
emancipation  of  mankind  from  the  bonds  of  inequality 
and  injustice.  Great  as  has  been  the  progress  in  this 
branch  of  achievement  in  recent  j'ears,  it  will,  no 
doubt,  be  eclipsed  by  much  higher  achievement  in  the 
near  future.  We  may  confidently  look  forward  to  the 
time  when  the  tide,  the  trade  wind,  and  the  other  avail- 
able forces  in  nature  shall  have  been  harnessed,  and 


Third  Summary  by  Ezra  159 

made  to  do  service  for  mankind  ;  and  when  that  time 
comes  the  principal  factor  affecting  labour  will  be  to  a 
much  greater  degree  under  our  control. 

The  next  fifty  years  promise  to  be  pregnant  with 
changes  in  the  economic  and  social  domain  ;  sufficiently 
so  to  entitle  these  departments  of  knowledge  to  a  primary 
rank  in  the  thoughtful  consideration  of  mankind. 

At  this  stage  of  our  inquiry  it  would  be  ill  advised 
for  this  club  to  conclude  its  labours  by  adjournment. 
It  has  not  up  to  this  time  come  to  any  conclusion  ;  in- 
deed, there  is  no  room  for  any,  for  we  have  discovered 
no  foundation  upon  which  a  conclusion  can  rest. 

It  would  seem  to  me  that  we  have  thus  far  but  pio- 
neered the  way.  We  have  but  brought  to  light  the  ob- 
structions in  our  path.  The  principal  labour  of  inquiry 
is  before  us,  and  deserves  our  most  earnest  endeavour. 
So  far  we  may  safely  agree  on  this  :  that  no  political, 
economical  or  social  system  can  be  just  or  equitable 
which  does  not  rest  on  the  solid  foundation  of  justice 
and  equity.  And  can  that  be  justice  or  equity  which 
is  not  grounded  in  universal  law?  No.  And  this  is 
the  conclusion  of  Immanuel  Kant  in  his  Metaphysic  of 
Ethics,  when  he  says,  "  Act  from  a  maxim  at  all  times 
fit  for  law  universal." 

Are  then  our  political,  social  and  economic  institu- 
tions grounded  on  universal  law  ?  If  the  answer  is  in 
the  negative,  it  will  have  proven  that  any  mere  change 
in  the  present  system  which  does  not  at  the  same  time 
have  in  view  universal  law  as  a  primary  object  can  be 
no  improvement. 

What  test  may  we  apply  which  will  determine  this 
question  as  accurately  as  a  plumb  determines  for  us  the 
true  line  of  gravitation  ?  I  know  of  but  one,  and  I  will 
venture  to  submit  it.      I  refer  to  that  central  theme 


i6o 


Let  There  Be  Light 


which  actuates  us,  and  from  which  we  receive  our 
highest  inspirations  for  thought  and  deed.  What,  then, 
is  our  Central  Theme,  and  what  should  it  be  ?  These 
are  the  questions  which  follow  consecutively,  and  in 
the  order  of  our  inquiry. 

At  no  time  in  the  world's  history  has  there  been  a 
greater  necessity  for  impartial  and  broad  inquiry  on 
this  head  than  at  the  present  time.  This,  therefore,  is 
the  point  which  our  initial  work  and  objective  en- 
deavour so  clearly  indicate  to  us. 

Mr.  Bradley. — Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen  :  I  move 
that  the  subject  for  our  next  meeting  be,  "  What  is  Our 
Central  Theme,  and  What  Should  It  Be  ?  " 


CHAPTER  XXII 


THE  WORDS  OF  THE   MASTER 


ON  the  Monday  morning  following,  I  received  a 
message  by  telephone  from  my  physician, ' '  Schu- 
bert is  recovering  from  an  operation  which  was  found 
necessary  in  order  to  save  his  life.  His  arm  has  been 
successfully  amputated,  and  he  is  now  convalescent. 
In  a  short  time  I  shall  permit  him  to  leave  his  room 
for  a  few  hours  each  day.  He  desires  me  to  thank 
you,  in  his  name,  for  your  great  kindness  to  him  and 
to  his  family." 

"  May  I  come  down  to  see  him  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  Come  to-day,  if  you  like,"  was  the  reply.  "  I 
think  your  visit  will  do  him  good." 

Within  an  hour  I  was  admitted  to  Schubert's  room. 
I  found  him  propped  up  in  bed,  pale  and  with  sunken 
cheeks  ;  but  his  expression  as  I  entered,  his  smile,  and 
the  look  that  came  to  his  eyes,  rewarded  me  already  for 
whatever  I  had  done. 

"  Mr.  Morton,  how  can  I  thank  you  ?  "  he  said. 

It  was  only  the  second  time  I  had  seen  the  man,  and 

I  looked  at  him  with  friendly  curiosity.     At  first  I  had 

been  struck  with  his  youthful  appearance,  but  now  I 

perceived  that  this  appearance  of  youthfulness  was  due 
II 

i6i 


1 62  Let  There  Be  Light 

to  his  fair  complexion,  light  hair,  blue  eyes  and  yellow- 
ish beard.  He  was  a  man  of  perhaps  forty-fiv^e,  a  fair 
average  type  of  workingman. 

He  stretched  out  his  one  remaining  hand  toward  me. 
"  You  have  saved  my  life,"  said  he.  "  You  have 
cared  for  my  poor  children  and  my  heartbroken  wife. 
You  took  them  from  the  street  and  gave  them  a  home. 
And  now  you  have  found  them  a  way  to  earn  their  liv- 
ing.    God  bless  you  !  " 

As  he  spoke  a  feeling  came  over  me  that  was  wholly 
new  to  my  experience.  And  at  once  there  followed  al- 
most a  sense  of  shame  at  my  capacity  for  entertaining 
such  a  sentiment.  What,  was  I  to  find  myself  under  the 
dominion  of  mere  emotion  ?  I  had  fostered  a  vague  pride 
at  my  freedom  from  such  influences,  deeming  them  un- 
worthy to  affect  a  man  of  culture  and  refinement.  And 
I  almost  involuntarily  made  an  effort  at  self-control. 

"Whence  came  this  new  and  strange  feeling  ? 
Was  it  caused  by  the  deep  gratitude  which  I  saw  de- 
picted on  this  man's  face  ?  Was  it  his  manner  of 
speaking  ?  Or  was  it  some  p.sychic  force  pervading  the 
air  about  me  ?  Why  had  I  never  before  experienced 
this  mysterious  and  soul-reaching  emotion  ?  And  the 
answer  came  quickly  and  with  emphasis,  "  Because  I 
had  nev^er  before  done  so  kindly  an  act." 

True,  I  had  given  money  to  charity,  but  only  through 
others,  and  as  perfunctorily  as  if  I  had  been  paying  m}- 
poll  tax  or  club  dues.  What  had  been  my  whole  life — 
what  but  trivial  emptiness  and  pure  selfishness  ?  In 
hasty  recapitulation  I  recalled  all  my  joys,  all  my 
pleasures,  all  those  acts  which  had  once  seemed  to 
satisf}'  my  soul  ;  and  not  from  the  sum  of  all  of  them 
had  I  felt  the  satisfaction  which  I  now  felt  at  the  thanks 
of  this  man  before  me. 


The  Words  of  the  Master        163 

It  was  the  voice  of  truth,  therefore,  which  prompted 
me  to  say,  "  Mr.  Schubert,  do  not  thank  me.  I  owe 
you  more  gratitude  than  j'ou  owe  me." 

He  seemed  to  comprehend  me  in  a  measure,  for  he 
replied,  "  The  good  God  knows  best  how  to  teach  us. 
See,"  he  continued,  as  he  tried  to  raise  himself  in  the 
bed,  —  "  see  what  I  have  learned.  Before  this  accident 
I  was  full  of  wicked  and  deep-rooted  prejudices.  I  hated 
the  rich  ;  yet  a  rich  man  saved  my  life,  sheltered  my 
wife  and  children,  and  kept  them  from  starvation.  I 
despised  negroes  ;  and  a  negro  has  proved  himself  a 
kind  and  comforting  brother  in  my  hour  of  affliction. 
I  derided  the  Jews  ;  yet  a  Jew  has  come  to  me  and 
comforted  me  and  mine.  And  even  now,  while  my  wife 
attends  to  her  duties,  it  is  a  Jewess  who,  with  loving 
care,  guards  and  guides  my  children. 

"  I  boasted  that  I  would  sooner  die  than  accept 
charity  ;  but  now  I  realise  the  sacred  influence  of  that 
God-like  act,  which  blesses  him  who  gives  and  him 
who  receives.  And  for  all  this  that  God  has  taught 
me,  through  the  lesson  of  my  affliction,  I  now  thank 
Him." 

Bidding  the  man  good-bye,  I  took  my  leave,  and 
walked  slowly  home,  pondering  seriously  on  these  mat- 
ters which  had  taken  so  strong  a  hold  upon  my  mind. 

At  the  house  I  found  a  letter  from  Dorothy.  Here 
are  portions  of  what  she  wrote  : 

•'  Boston,  March  i6,  1899. 
"  Dear  Joseph : 

"  Ever  since  I  left  New  York  I  have  been  thinking  over  the 
subject  we  talked  so  much  about,  trying  to  see  my  way  clear. 
I  believe  your  uncle  is  right.  A  good  business  man  can  be  only 
a  business  man.     But,  Joseph,  I  do  wish  you  could  be  something 


i64  Let  There  Be  Light 

more.     Or,  if  that  wish  is  impossible  of  realisation,  I  should 
even  prefer  for  you  some  other  than  a  business  career. 

"  Do  not  expect  me  to  attach  too  much  importance  to  society 
after  our  marriage.  I  have  plans  more  in  accordance  with  my 
present  feelings,  to  which  I  should  like  to  devote  a  share  of  my 
time  and  my  income,  —  plans  which  I  believe  will  accord  with 
your  feelings  as  well  as  with  my  own.     .     .     ." 

Soon  after  the  date  of  this  letter  an  event  occurred 
which  I  will  pass  over  with  brief  mention,  because, 
however  great  its  importance  to  the  persons  whom  it 
concerned,  its  details  are  not  essential  to  my  story.  I 
refer  to  the  marriage  of  Dorothy  and  myself.  After  a 
quiet  family  wedding  we  took  the  next  train  for  the 
West,  and  proceeded,  in  the  course  of  our  journey,  as  far 
as  the  Pacific  slope.  There  we  passed  a  time  that 
seemed  indeed  all  too  brief;  and,  at  the  expiration  of 
the  period  we  had  thought  best  to  fix  for  our  stay,  we 
began  our  homeward  journey.  The  i6th  of  April 
found  us  once  more  in  New  York,  and  warmly  wel- 
comed guests  at  my  uncle's  house. 

"  Have  you  seen  any  of  the  members  of  the  club, 
Uncle  Harry?"  asked  Doroth}',  as  we  all,  a  smiling 
family  group,  were  sitting  talking  together  after 
luncheon. 

"  No,  not  any  of  the  members,  exactly,"  replied  my 
uncle,  "  but  some  of  their  relations." 

' '  How  so  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  You  see  this  club  work  is  beginning  to  materialise, 
to  make  itself  felt,"  my  uncle  answered.  "  I  observed 
its  eflfects  in  the  number  of  your  tenants  who  found  out 
5'our  address,  and  who  called  here  inquiring  after  you. 
But  I  dismissed  them  promptly  enough." 

"Oh,  Uncle  !  "  protested  Dorothy.  "  Did  n't  you 
even  listen  to  what  they  had  to  say  ?  " 


The  Words  of  the  Master         165 

"  So  I  am  the  heavy  villain  again,  am  I  ?  "  laughed 
my  uncle.  "  Well,  I  will  send  them  all  to  you,  Joseph, 
after  this.  You  have  a  rich  uncle,  but  I  have  not. 
One  of  your  callers,  however,  amused  me,  and  I  asked 
him  to  come  again," 

"  Did  he  want  his  rent  reduced  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  No,  he  is  not  one  of  your  tenants.  I  don't  know 
what  he  wanted." 

"  What  does  he  look  like  ?  " 

"  He  looks  like  a  reformed  gambler  who  has  taken 
to  preaching.  But  you  will  have  an  opportunity  of 
j  udging  for  j'ourself.  He  will  be  here  later.  He  has 
called  almost  every  day  for  a  week." 

Surely  enough,  in  the  course  of  the  afternoon  the 
stranger  was  announced,  and,  with  my  uncle,  I  pro- 
ceeded to  meet  him  in  the  library.  I  found  there  a  tall 
man,  clothed  in  black,  holding  in  his  hand  his  high 
silk  hat.  His  frock  coat  was  unbuttoned,  showing  a 
heavy  gold  chain  that  crossed  his  waistcoat.  He  was 
smoothly  shaven,  but  his  cheeks  and  jaw  were  over- 
spread with  that  purplish  tinge  sometimes  seen  on  faces 
to  which  nature  has  given  dark  and  heavy  beards.  His 
expression  was  solemn,  but  ambiguous,  fitted  equally 
for  mirth  or  for  mourning. 

He  advanced  and  held  out  his  hand,  which  I  reluct- 
antly grasped.      "  Mr.  Joseph  Morton  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"  That  is  my  name,"  said  I.  "  What  can  I  do  for 
you  ?  ' ' 

"  Nothing,"  he  replied.  "  I  have  come  to  do  some- 
thing for  you."  And  he  drew  from  his  waistcoat 
pocket,  and  handed  to  me,  a  card  of  uninviting  appear- 
ance, whereon  were  printed  the  words 

"  FRED  KIRBY, 

"  Undertaker." 


1 66  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  But  no  one  is  dead  here,"  I  remarked. 

"  No,"  said  he.  "  I  know  it.  I  do  other  things  be- 
sides bury  people. ' ' 

"  And  what  do  you  propose  to  do  for  me  ?  " 

"  Whatever  you  like,"  he  replied,  with  a  suggestion 
of  a  wink.  "  Anything  you  want  is  within  your 
reach." 

"  What  is  it  you  think  I  want  ?  "  I  inquired,  with 
some  amusement. 

"  May  I  .speak  in  the  presence  of  this  gentleman  ? 
Yes  ?  Well,  then  I  will  come  down  to  business.  You 
have  property  in  our  district,  sir,  and  though  you  don't 
know  the  boys  in  our  district  yet,  the  boys  know  you. 
You  have  become  very  popular  there.  Your  generosity 
and  your  sympathy  with  the  labouring  classes  have 
aroused  interest  among  us  to  such  an  extent  that  any- 
thing within  our  gift  is  yours  for  the  asking." 

He  paused  and  looked  me  in  the  eye.  But,  not  meet- 
ing that  expression  of  sympathy,  or  even  of  compre- 
hension, which  he  sought,  he  turned  toward  my  uncle. 
"  You  understand  me,  sir,  do  you  not  ?  " 

"  Perfectly,"  replied  my  uncle.  "  But  my  nephew 
is  a  little  inexperienced  in  such  matters.  You  will  have 
to  talk  right  out  in  meeting." 

The  tall  man  smiled.  "  I  want  to  say  here,"  he 
continued,  "  that  I  represent  all  the  important  clubs 
and  organisations  in  our  district.  But  we  don't  need 
to  talk  about  that.  I  understand  that  this  gentleman 
wants  our  support.  Now  I'm  in  a  position  to  secure 
it  for  him.     That  's  business,  is  n't  it  ?  " 

"  I  am  sorr>'  to  disappoint  you,"  I  answered,  "  but 
you  have  been  misinformed.  I  have  no  occasion  to 
seek  political  support." 

"  Pardon  me  if  I  am  mistaken,"  replied  the  man, 


The  Words  of  the  Master         167 

with  another  smile,  "  but  of  course  we  know  about  your 
having  those  workingmen  here,  and  putting  those 
tenants  back,  and  giving  them  a  job,  and  looking  after 
the  husband  in  the  hospital.  Think  it  over,  Mr. 
Morton.  You  will  find  I  am  as  good  a  man  to  deal 
with  as  anyone  in  the  district.  You  have  my  card. 
Send  for  me  any  time  you  want  information,  even  if 
you  're  not  quite  ready  to  talk  business.  Good-day, 
sir." 

"  Good-day."     And  the  door  closed  on  the  tall  man. 

My  uncle  burst  into  a  fit  of  laughter.  "  How  do  you 
like  this  result  of  your  disinterested  philanthropy, 
Joseph  ? ' '  said  he,  when  he  had  sufficiently  recovered 
his  composure. 

"  What  a  beastly  world  !  "  I  exclaimed. 

"  Yes,"  said  my  uncle  ;  "  the  world  is  still  beastly, 
full  of  untamed  beasts.  The  fellow  you  just  saw  is 
by  no  means  the  worst  or  the  most  dangerous  ;  you  will 
find  them  in  forms  far  more  difficult  to  detect.  The 
course  you  have  adopted  will  attract  these  human  pests 
around  you  as  molasses  in  summer  attracts  flies.  I 
warn  you  again  that  you  should  abandon  philanthropy. 
It  does  not  rhyme  with  our  present  state  of  civilisation. 

"  Give  to  the  poor  openly,  give  ostentatiously,  give 
liberally,  and  let  the  people  know  why  you  are  giving. 
lyCt  it  be  for  office,  to  obtain  trade,  or  for  any  well- 
known  reason  that  people  can  understand,  and  they 
will  magnify  your  virtues  and  overlook  your  vices.  But 
give  openly  and  disinterestedl}^,  and  the  people  will  call 
you  a  fool,  a  lunatic,  a  humbug,  and  a  rascal." 
■  "True,  true,"  I  thought,  and  the  words  of  the 
Master  came  to  my  mind:  "  Let  not  thy  left  hand  know 
what  thy  right  hand  doeth." 

And  I  said,  "  You  are  right." 


CHAPTER  XXIII 


CHARITY   OF   RICH   AND   POOR 


IN  the  course  of  the  next  forenoon,  Thomas, who  had 
gone  to  the  door  in  response  to  the  bell,  returned  to 
the  library  with  the  announcement,  "A  woman  to  see 
you,  sir." 

I  looked  up  from  my  desk  and,  observing  in  Thomas's 
hesitation  a  desire  to  say  something  more,  I  asked, 
"  Well,  Thomas,  what  is  it  ?  " 

' '  There  have  been  a  lot  of  those  people  here,  sir,  and 
if  you  like  I  can  save  you  the  trouble  of  seeing  them 
all." 

"  We  will  talk  about  that  another  time,  Thomas,"  I 
replied.     "  Show  the  woman  in." 

An  elderly  woman  entered,  poorly  but  respectably 
dressed.  She  curtsied,  and  began,  "  Good-morning, 
sir.     I  have  come  to  ask  a  favour  of  3'ou." 

"What  is  it?" 

' '  Where  I  live  there  is  a  family  lives  overhead  by 
the  name  of  Burke.  The  woman  died  about  a  week 
ago  and  left  four  children  :  two  boys,  one  ten  and  the 
other  twelve,  a  girl  of  fourteen,  and  a  baby.  The  boj's 
sell  papers,  and  the  girl  takes  in  sewing,  but  they  can- 
not make  enough  to  pay  the  rent." 

168 


Charity  of  Rich  and  Poor         169 

"  How  much  is  the  rent  ?  " 

' '  Eight  dollars  a  month.  If  they  could  get  it  lowered 
for  a  few  months,  until  the  father  comes  home,  it  would 
save  them  from  being  put  into  the  street." 

"  Where  is  the  father  ?  " 

"  He  is  a  sailor,  and  just  now  on  a  voyage." 

"  Why  don't  they  apply  to  the  public  charities  ?  " 

"  The  elder  boy  did,  but  there  was  no  attention  paid 
to  him." 

"  Then  why  not  apply  to  the  minister  of  their 
church  ?  " 

"  They  applied  to  the  minister,  and  got  five  dollars 
from  him,  but  that  went  toward  the  funeral  expenses." 

"  Where  do  they  live  ?  "  I  continued. 

"  In  one  of  your  houses  on  Mulberry  Street,  near 
Canal." 

"  How  do  you  know  it  is  one  of  my  houses  ?  " 

' '  Because  there  is  a  girl  I  rent  my  back  room  to,  and 
she  heard  you  talked  about  at  the  place  where  she  takes 
her  meals.     She  told  us  where  you  lived." 

"  Is  there  anything  else  you  want  to  say  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  No,  sir,"  the  woman  replied,  and  thereupon,  curt- 
sying again,  she  took  her  leave. 

"  I  must  consult  Dorothy  and  my  aunt  about  this," 
said  I  to  myself,  when  I  was  once  more  alone.  The 
incident  had  suggested  a  new  train  of  thought.  In  my 
recent  experiences  I  could  not  but  observe  that  the 
poor,  as  a  rule,  busied  themselves  to  a  much  greater 
extent  in  acts  of  charity  than  did  the  rich.  Why  was 
this  ?  After  considering  all  the  probable  reasons,  I 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  is  fear  of  those  results 
which  publicity  would  be  apt  to  bring  about,  which 
deters  the  rich  from  giving  as  freely  as  they  otherwise 
would.     But  the  poor,  not  being  held  in  check  by  any 


I/O  Let  There  Be  Light 

such  motiv^e  of  prudence,  practise  this  virtue  whenever 
prompted  to  do  so.  Take,  for  example,  the  present  in- 
stance. Nothing  would  be  simpler  than  for  me  to  remit 
the  rent  of  the  Burke  family  ;  but  if  this  were  done 
publicly,  it  would  result  in  multiplying  similar  requests, 
and  ultimately,  as  my  uncle  had  pointed  out,  would  lead 
to  such  a  diminution  of  my  income  as  materiall}'  to 
affect  my  means.  That  the  opinion  of  my  uncle  was 
worthy  of  respectful  consideration,  I  had  had  ample  evi- 
dence in  ray  recent  experiences.  Charitable  acts  would 
bring  unpleasant  results  ;  but  to  refrain  from  charit- 
able acts  would  bring  results  equally  unpleasant.  And 
again  the  saying  of  the  Master  occurred  to  me,"  Let 
not  thy  left  hand  know  what   thy  right  hand  doeth." 

Yes,  that  was  the  solution  ;  and  I  took  my  check 
book,  and  was  about  to  draw  a  check  to  the  order  of 
the  Burkes.  "  But  how  stupid  of  me  !  "  I  thought. 
"  They  would  surely  know  the  whole  thing  from  my 
name  on  the  check. ' '  So,  enclosing  a  twenty-dollar  bill 
in  an  envelope,  I  addressed  it,  "  Miss  Burke,  S.  W. 
Corner  Mulberry  and  Canal  Streets,  New  York,"  called 
Thomas,  and  directed  him  to  mail  the  letter. 

"Joseph,"  said  Dorothy,  as  she  and  my  aunt  came 
in  to  luncheon,  "  do  you  want  to  hear  the  news  of  the 
Schuberts  ?  " 

"  Yes,  indeed." 

"  Well,  Aunt  Barbara  and  I  have  been  to  see  them. 
And  they  are  in  a  great  state  of  excitement  because  Mr. 
Schubert  is  expected  home  from  the  hospital  this  after- 
noon." 

"  It  was  a  real  pleasure  to  see  them  all  so  happy," 
added  my  aunt.  "  You  should  have  seen  how  prettily 
the  room  was  arranged  and  decorated  in  honour  of  the 
event." 


Charity  of  Rich  and  Poor         171 

"  Do  the  children  know  their  father  has  lost  an 
arm  ?  "  I  asked. 

"The  oldest  girl  may  know,"  said  Aunt  Barbara. 
"  She  told  me  that  Miss  Eva  Seiner  had  taken  her  to 
see  her  father  at  the  hospital." 

"  Is  n't  she  lovely  !  "  exclaimed  Dorothy. 

"  Who  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  Eva,"  replied  Dorothy. 

"  Yes,"  said  my  aunt.  "  She  is  a  lovely  girl.  Mrs. 
Schubert  can  hardly  say  enough  of  her.  For  a  part  of 
each  day  she  is  at  the  Schubert  house  performing  the 
service  of  a  Sister  of  Mercy.  The  children  are  much 
attached  to  her." 

"  I  had  a  little  chat  with  her,"  Dorothy  continued, 
"  and  was  surprised  to  find  her  more  than  usually  well 
informed.  She  seems  devoted  to  her  brother  Ezra,  and 
both  spend  much  of  their  spare  time  in  study." 

"  Now  let  me  tell  you  something  of  my  own  experi- 
ences," said  I.  And  I  related  my  interview  with  the 
woman  v/ho  had  come  on  behalf  of  the  Burkes,  my  own 
conclusions  on  the  subject  of  charity  and  my  sending 
of  the  money. 

"  I  think  your  conclusions  are  sound,  Joseph,"  ob- 
served my  aunt  ;  "  but  I  don't  approve  of  the  way  in 
which  you  applied  them  this  morning." 

"Why  not?"  said  I. 

"  First,  because  you  did  not  know  the  woman,  and 
did  not  verify  her  story.  Second,  twenty  dollars  at 
one  time,  in  the  hands  of  inexperienced  children,  may 
do  them  more  harm  than  good.  Third,  the  money  may 
never  reach  them  at  all,  for  5'ou  tell  me  3'ou  addressed 
your  letter  '  Miss  Burke,'  and  a  girl  of  fourteen,  on 
Mulberry  Street,  is  not,  as  a  rule,  known  as  '  Miss.'  " 

"  Then  what  should  I  have  done  ?  " 


172  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  Waited,"  replied  my  aunt,  "  until  Dorothy  and  I 
returned.  We  could  have  sent  Miss  Seiner  to  the 
place,  and  she  would  have  told  you  just  what  to 
do." 

"  Eureka  !  "  I  cried.     "  I  have  found  it  at  last." 

"  Found  what  ?  "  asked  my  aunt. 

"  A  way  of  harmonising  both  opinions  ;  Uncle 
Harry's  on  the  one  hand,  and  Dorothy's  and  mine  on 
the  other." 

"How?" 

"  By  appointing  Miss  Eva  Seiner  our  agent  for  all 
this  kind  of  charitable  work." 

"  That  is  a  good  suggestion,"  said  my  aunt,  after  a 
moment's  thought.  "  If  you  give  her  a  limit  of  a  cer- 
tain sum  each  year,  and  have  her  report  to  you  from 
time  to  time,  you  may  be  able  to  accomplish  what  you 
aim  at  in  a  practical  way." 

"  Very  well,"  I  continued.  "  Will  you  please  ap- 
point her,  and  I  will  set  aside  five  hundred  dollars  for 
that  purpose,  as  an  experiment." 

"  And  so  will  I,"  said  Dorothy. 

At  this  moment  Uncle  Harry  joined  us,  and  we  went 
over,  with  him,  our  plan  and  the  details  of  our  discus- 
sion.    . 

"  I  like  your  idea,"  he  said,  "  and  if  you  will  agree 
to  a  stipulation  which  I  propose,  I  will  join  you  in  a 
like  amount  for  the  same  purpose." 

"  What  is  the  stipulation  ?  "  I  asked. 

' '  That  you  confine  your  charitable  work  of  this  nat- 
ure to  what  may  be  accomplished  in  this  way,  and  that 
you  keep  the  agency  of  Miss  Seiner  a  secret." 

"  I  agree,"  I  replied. 

"  So  do  I,"  said  Dorothy, 

"  I  had  about  made  up  my  mind  to  join  you,"  said 


Charity  of  Rich  and  Poor         1 73 

my  aunt.  "  I  will  give  a  similar  amount  if  Miss  Seiner 
accepts." 

"  Let  us  ask  her  here  to  lunch !  "  exclaimed  Dorothy. 
"  Then  we  can  talk  it  all  over." 

"  She  might  have  some  feeling  about  her  clothes," 
objected  my  aunt,  "  that  would  prevent  her  coming 
here.  But  she  could  meet  us  down-town  and  we  could 
all  take  lunch  together." 

"That  would  do,"  said  Dorothy.  "And  Joseph 
will  see  them  to-night  and  arrange  it. ' ' 


CHAPTER   XXIV 


A   RELIEF   COMMITTEE 


SO  after  dinner  I  took  the  car,  and  proceeded  to  the 
rooms  which  the  Sehiers  occupied,  not  far  from 
the  club  room  on  Second  Avenue.  In  their  little  par- 
lour I  found  the  brother  and  sister  seated  side  by  side 
at  their  table.  The  lamp  light  fell  on  perhaps  a  dozen 
books  which  lay  scattered  before  them. 

Ezra  rose  and  came  toward  me  with  a  smile.  "  We 
were  at  work  on  the  next  debate,"  said  he. 

"  It  seems  likely  to  be  an  interesting  one,"  I  ob- 
served, "  if  I  may  judge  by  the  title,  and  by  your  con- 
cluding remarks  at  the  last  meeting." 

"  I  wish  Miss  Hamilton  were  coming,"  said  Miss 
Seiner. 

"  There  are  several  reasons  why  Miss  Hamilton  can- 
not come,"  I  rephed.  "  One  is  that  she  is  now  Mrs. 
Morton.     We  were  married  a  month  ago." 

"  Indeed  !  "  Miss  Seiner  exclaimed.  "  I  am  sure  I 
congratulate  you  both.  I  wish  you  much  happiness." 
And  her  brother  added  an  expression  of  his  own  good 
wishes. 

"  But  the  reason  why  I  hesitate  to  bring  my  wife  to 

174 


A  Relief  Committee  175 

the  club  room,"  I  said,  "  is  the  neighbourhood  and  the 
lateness  of  the  hour.  If  your  club  would  hold  its  meet- 
ing in  my  lawyer's  office  I  think  we  could  all  attend. 
The  location  is  conv^enient — ^  Broadway,  near  Union 
Square  —  and  I  could  have  the  use  of  the  office,  which 
is  large  and  well  appointed." 

"  How  nice  that  would  be  !  "  cried  Miss  Seiner. 
"  The  meeting  could  be  held  there  just  as  well,  could  n't 
it,  Ezra?" 

"  I  think  so.  The  date  is  Wednesday,  April  19th, 
and  if  Mr.  Morton  finds  he  can  have  the  office  for  that 
evening,  I  will  notify  the  members  and  we  will  act  on 
his  suggestion." 

"  Where  can  I  find  you  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Here  is  the  address,"  he  replied,  handing  me  a 
business  card  on  which  appeared  the  name  of  a  whole- 
sale manufacturer  of  cloaks  and  suits.  "  I  am  em- 
ployed there  as  cutter  and  designer. ' ' 

"  Ver}^  well,"  I  said.  "  You  will  hear  from  me  to- 
morrow morning.  And  now  I  have  a  proposition  to 
make  to  Miss  Seiner,  which  is  the  real  reason  for  your 
seeing  me  here  this  evening." 

Thereupon  I  outlined  the  plan  which  I  had  come  to 
propose.  Miss  Seiner  shook  her  head  as  I  concluded. 
"  I  am  sure  I  appreciate  your  confidence  and  that  of 
your  friends,"  said  she,  "  but,  to  my  regret,  I  must 
decline." 

"  I  need  hardly  say  that  I  am  disappointed  at  your 
refusal,"  I  replied.  "  You  can  both  judge  of  this  when 
I  tell  3'ou  that  you  were  the  unanimous  choice  of  those 
who  are  to  contribute.  In  fact,  3^ou  were  our  only 
choice.  I  feel  justified,  therefore,  in  asking  your  rea- 
sons for  refusing." 

"  There  are  several  reasons  why  I  must  decline,"  said 


1 76  Let  There  Be  Light 

she.  "  First,  I  lack  experience.  Then  I  am  seldom 
away  from  home,  though  lately,  it  is  true,  I  have  been 
frequently  absent  at  the  house  of  the  Schubert  family. 
And  in  any  case,  the  work  can  be  done  to  better  ad- 
vantage by  organised  charitable  associations." 

"  Will  you  allow  me  to  criticise  your  objections  ?  "  I 
asked. 

"  Certainly." 

"  Your  first  excuse,  then,  I  do  not  think  valid,  as 
your  superior  judgment  will  counterbalance  any  lack 
of  experience.  Please  do  not  receive  this  merely  as  a 
compliment  from  me,  but  as  the  opinions  of  my  aunt, 
Mrs.  Morton,  and  of  my  wife.  The  third  reason  is 
also  invalid,  because  this  charity  is  designed  only  for 
tenants  in  the  houses  of  my  uncle  and  myself.  The 
only  valid  reason  is  the  second:  that  you  seldom  leave 
your  home.  Can  you  suggest  a  way,  Mr.  Seiner,  by 
which  this  objection  may  be  ov^ercome  ?  " 

"  I  hardly  know,"  Ezra  replied,  "  unless  a  committee 
were  organised,  when  I  suppose  my  sister  would  have 
no  objection  to  serving  in  some  capacity." 

"  How  would  that  do,  Miss  Seiner  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  That  would  depend  upon  who  the  members  of  the 
committee  were." 

"  I  suggest  Mr.  Fisher  and  Mrs.  Bradley,"  said  Ezra. 

"  They  would  do  very  well  indeed.  I  should  have 
no  objection  to  serving  with  them.  And  your  wife 
might  be  a  member,  too,  Mr.  Morton." 

"  I  am  glad  we  have  found  a  way.  Now  would  you 
be  good  enough  to  meet  Mrs.  Morton  and  my  wife 
down-town  to-morrow,  and  take  lunch  with  them  ?  "  I 
said.     "  Then  you  can  all  talk  over  the  details." 

"  I  will,  with  pleasure,"  she  answered,  as  she  took 
down  the  address  I  gave  her. 


A  Relief  Committee 


// 


On  try  return  to  the  house  I  related  what  had  taken 
place. 

"  Miss  Sehier  will  meet  you  to-morrow,  Dorothy,"  I 
said,  "  and  I  hope  you  can  settle  the  organisation  of 
the  committee.  They  suggested  that  you  be  one  of  the 
members. ' ' 

"  How  can  I  be  on  the  committee  ?  "  asked  Dorothy. 
"  That  would  disclose  the  whole  plan." 

"  You  might  be  a  consulting  member,"  said  my 
aunt.  "  It  would  be  much  pleasanter  to  have  some 
direct  connection  with  the  work." 

I  found  no  difficulty  in  securing  my  lawyer's  office 
for  the  evening  of  the  19th,  and  I  received  from  the 
club  in  due  time  an  acceptance  of  my  invitation  to  use 
it  as  their  place  of  meeting.  Their  note  expressed  also 
a  desire  that  all  the  members  of  our  family  be  present, 
if  we  cared  to  attend.  Such  was  our  intention  ;  but  at 
the  last  moment  my  uncle's  business  interests  called 
him  to  Philadelphia,  and  he  left  us,  though  not  before 
he  had  agreed,  at  my  aunt's  request,  that  she  should 
attend  the  meeting  with  Dorothy  and  myself. 

Accordingly,  early  on  Wednesday  evening  we  pro- 
ceeded—  my  aunt,  my  wife  and  I  —  to  my  lawyer's 
ofl&ce.  We  were  of  course  the  first  to  arrive,  but  we 
had  not  long  to  wait  ;  and  soon  all  the  members,  as 
well  as  Miss  Seiner,  were  present  and  in  their  places, 
attentive  for  the  opening  of  the  discussion. 


-4.    \  n^^4'^^^'^'^^^^^^^^^^'^-^'-^^W_7^    > 


CHAPTER  XXV 

OUR    CENTRAL  THEME 

REPORT  of  a  meeting  of  The  Twentieth  Century 
Chib,  Wednesday  evening,  April  19,1899.  Meet- 
ing called  to  order  at  7.45  p.m. 

Ezra.  —  The  meeting  will  now  come  to  order.  The 
secretary  will  read  the  minutes  of  the  previous  meeting. 

After  the  reading  of  the  minutes,  Ezra  rose. 

Ezra. —  The  subject  for  this  evening  is,  "  What  is 
Our  Central  Theme,  and  What  Should  It  Be  ?  "  Mr. 
Quail  is  the  censor  for  the  evening.  The  first  speaker 
will  be  Mr.  Valanti. 

Mr.  Valanti. — Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen: 
Inspiration,  intuition,  experience  and  reason  all  point 
to  God  as  the  Central  Theme,  who  has  established  for 
Himself  an  abode  on  earth  known  to  us  as  the  Church. 

Whatever  be  the  course,  whether  of  the  individual  or 
of  the  nation,  unless  it  be  in  accord  with  this  Central 
Theme,  must  in  the  end  fail.  The  path  which  devi- 
ates from  this  course,  which  is  antagonistic  to  this  Cen- 
tral Theme,  is  the  path  which  leads  to  temporal  and 
spiritual  degradation,  and  to  eternal  suffering. 

In  the  beginning,  certain  among  the  elect  of  mankind, 
178 


Our  Central  Theme  179 

observing  the  manifestations  of  the  Spiritual  Architect, 
intuitively  drew  near  unto  Him  and  worshipped  Him. 
This  they  did,  drawing  many  with  them  to  the  Throne 
of  God. 

But  intuition  is  not  in  itself  sufiiciently  clear  ;  nor 
does  it  offer  that  assurance  to  the  soul  which  renders 
the  conclusions  of  the  mind  free  from  doubt.  Origin- 
ally, therefore,  the  feeble  rays  of  spiritual  light  flared 
and  flickered  unsteady  and  uncertain.  And  mankind 
in  the  beginning  rocked  to  and  fro,  from  God  to  Satan, 
and  from  Satan  to  God,  having  no  surety  in  the  exacti- 
tude of  its  course. 

Then  sent  the  Almighty  Father  His  only  begotten 
Son  on  earth  to  show  the  path,  and  He  established  His 
Will  among  men,  and  gave  them  a  sure  rule  of  life  on 
earth,  which  was  to  be  their  guide  to  Heaven.  This 
sure  rule  and  true  guide  is  the  Holy  Catholic  Church, 
whose  rock  and  foundation  are  Peter  and  his  successors. 
And  as  before  the  coming  of  the  blessed  Lord  there 
were  spiritual  darkness,  selfishness,  cruelty  and  misery, 
so  after  His  coming  there  were,  through  Him,  spiritual 
hght,  humanity  and  brotherly  love.  The  glorious  light 
of  the  Holy  Catholic  Church  streamed  its  beneficent 
spiritual  rays  on  a  sinful  world  ;  and  cruel  and  debas- 
ing paganism  disappeared.  Instead,  there  arose  the 
structure  of  civilisation,  on  the  solid  foundation  of 
righteousness. 

The  Holy  Catholic  Church  found  the  nations  pagan, 
and  she  converted  them  to  God.  She  opened  full  the 
valve  of  her  mighty  power  to  uproot  the  cruelty  and 
wickedness  which  she  found,  and  in  their  place  im- 
planted love  and  charity.  She  struggled  zealously, 
mightily,  to  change  the  inhumanity  and  barbarity  of 
the  nations  into  humanity  and  civilisation.     Is  there  a 


i8o  Let  There  Be  Light 

nation  or  a  people  that  has  not  felt,  that  does  not  feel, 
the  beneficent  influence  of  her  world-embracing 
energy  ? 

God,  then,  is  our  Central  Theme  ;  than  which  none 
higher,  surer,  grander,  has  ever  been  made  manifest. 
And  this  Central  Theme  has  been  embodied  and  made 
evident  on  earth  in  the  enduring,  unchanging  form  of 
the  Holy  Catholic  Church.  Through  the  ministration 
of  the  Catholic  Church,  the  millions  of  her  faithful  sons 
and  daughters,  throughout  the  world,  are  exhorted  to 
flee  from  sin  and  selfishness,  and  to  clothe  themselves 
with  the  spiritual  garments  of  charity  and  love;  charity 
toward  man  and  love  for  God.  Forgiveness  for  sin  is 
freely  granted  on  condition  of  repentance  and  restitu- 
tion ;  and  thus  acts  committed  in  inequity  are  restored 
to  the  line  of  equity. 

This  Central  Theme  it  is  which  has  reformed  a  world, 
which  has  proven  man,  which  has  refined  him,  which 
has  raised  him  to  a  more  exalted  height.  This  it  is 
which  has  shed  light  into  his  soul, — light  which  shines 
here  on  earth,  which  shall  shine  in  increased  splendour 
in  the  future  life,  which  shall  shine  forever. 

Ezra. —  The  second  speaker  will  be  Mr.  Moore. 

Mr.  Moore. — Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : 
Before  proceeding  I  would  like  to  ask  the  speaker  who 
has  preceded  me  what  church  he  referred  to  when  he 
spoke  of  the  Holy  Catholic  Church  ?  Did  he  refer  to 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church  ? 

Ezra.  —  The  first  speaker  is  asked  a  question. 

Mr.   Vala nti.  —  I  d i d . 

Mr.  Moore. —  I  then  deem  it  my  duty  to  differ  wath 
my  friend,  the  first  speaker.  I  differ  because  I  deem 
such  difference  to  be  in  the  interest  of  truth.  The 
Central  Theme  should  indeed  be  God  ;  but  that,  as  we 


Our  Central  Theme  i8i 

have  just  been  told,  our  Theme  has  been  embodied  and 
made  evident  on  earth  in  the  Roman  Cathohc  Church, 
I  deny. 

It  is  true,  as  he  says,  that  "  In  the  beginning,  cer- 
tain among  the  elect  of  mankind,  observing  the  mani- 
festations of  the  Spiritual  Architect,  intuitively  drew 
near  unto  Him  and  worshipped  Him."  And  the  first 
of  these  was  Abraham,  who,  forsaking  his  father's 
house,  went  to  Canaan,  there  to  found  a  nation,  which 
was  to  follow  God  and  to  be  His  peculiar  people.  In 
due  season  came  Moses,  who  established  the  walls  of 
the  structure  upon  the  foundation  which  Abraham  had 
laid  ;  and  with  Moses  was  Aaron,  the  father  of  the 
priests. 

Besides  these,  and  after  them,  came  the  great  scribe 
Ezra.  And  in  Ezra's  time  was  reared,  alongside  the 
Temple,  the  House  of  Assembl}',  the  Synagogue.  And 
it  was  ordained  that  the  people  should,  everywhere  and 
at  all  times,  erect  for  themselves  these  Houses  of  As- 
sembly, and  that  each  House  should  be  provided  with 
a  schoolroom,  and  with  a  teacher  to  teach  the  young. 
It  was  furthermore  ordained  that  prayers  to  God  should 
be  offered  in  these  Houses  of  Assembly,  and  that  the 
Scripture  .should  be  read  therein  to  the  people,  and  be 
expounded  to  them,  and  that  each  House  of  Assembly 
should  be  governed  by  elders,  chosen  by  the  people. 

Thus  was  the  Church  born  and  reared;  alongside  the 
Temple,  and  yet  apart  from  it. 

And  the  time  came  when  the  Temple,  having  serv^ed 
its  purpose,  was  abolished  ;  and  the  Blessed  Redeemer 
came,  and  enlarged  and  beautified  the  House  of  As- 
sembly, making  of  it  the  ' '  House  of  Assembly  for  all 
nations." 

Shortly  after  the  Ascension  of  our  Eord,  there  arose 


1 82  Let  There  Be  Light 

certain  of  the  partially  converted  heathen  who,  under 
an  unlawful  assumption  of  authority,  re-established  the 
Jerusalem  Temple  service  at  Rome,  and,  blending  with 
this  service  much  of  heathenism,  proclaimed  itself  the 
only  true  and  Catholic  Church  of  Christ.  Then  followed 
strife  and  contention  ;  and  for  a  time  the  partly  con- 
verted heathen  got  the  upper  hand,  and  compelled  all 
Christendom  to  bend  to  the  will  of  their  High  Priest, 
the  Pope.  And  the  nations  relapsed  again  into  pagan 
darkness,  from  which  they  have  but  recently  been 
freed  by  the  light  which  was  rekindled  through  the 
Reformation. 

The  Reformation  again  restored  the  Church,  even 
the  Church  which  Christ's  coming  enlarged  and  beauti- 
fied ;  and  the  name  of  this  Church  is  the  Church  in 
charge  of  the  Elders  or  Presbyters, —  the  Presbyterian. 
It  was  this  Church  which  purged  and  cleansed  Christ- 
ianity of  the  abominations  of  idolatry  and  heathenism. 
It  dethroned  the  pagan  Romish  High  Priest,  and  broke 
in  pieces  the  throne  of  his  universal  dominion.  It  de- 
stroyed the  emblems  of  idolatry,  and  restored  to  the 
people  the  word  of  God.  No  sooner  was  this  done  than 
the  clouds  of  darkness  and  barbarism,  which  had  before 
covered  the  earth,  began  to  disappear,  until  now  they 
remain  only  in  those  countries  where  the  rule  of  the 
Romish  hierarchy  is  not  yet  completely  broken.  Need 
we  refer  to  special  incidents  in  order  to  verify  what  I 
have  said  ?  Is  it  not  well  known  to  you  all  ?  Is  it  not 
known  to  all  the  world  ? 

Did  Christ  ordain  a  vice-God  on  earth  in  the  form  of 
a  Pope  ?  Did  Christ  command  a  priesthood  of  monks 
and  cloisterers  ?  Did  Christ  ordain  the  convents,  which 
serve  as  living  sepulchres  for  women  ?  Did  Christ  com- 
mand the  adoration  of  images,  or  confessions  to  priests, 


Our  Central  Theme 


183 


or  the  compounding  of  sin  by  indulgences  for  money  ? 
Are  not  all  these  things  heathen  and  pagan  ?  And 
was  not  the  chief  reason  for  Christ's  coming  the  over- 
throwing of  all  these  ? 

Therefore  have  we  the  upbuilder  Christ  as  our  Cen- 
tral Theme.  He  is  the  sure  rule  and  true  guide.  And 
all  this  is  made  clearly  manifest  by  and  through  the 
Presbyterian  Church. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 


TRUE    MONOTHEISM 


Ezra. —  The  third  speaker  will  be  Mr.  Bradley. 

Mr.  Bradley. — Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen: 
The  last  two  speakers  seem  to  me  to  have  deviated 
somewhat  from  our  usual  manner  of  discussion. 

As  I  understand  the  intent  of  our  organisation,  it  is 
this  :  to  endeavour,  through  free  and  impartial  discuss- 
ion, to  get  closer  to  the  truth.  By  this  method  we  be- 
lieved the  truth  could  be  better  perceived  than  by  the 
unaided  efforts  of  each  individual. 

But,  instead  of  that  free  and  impartial  discussion 
which  we  had  a  right  to  expect,  we  have  listened  to 
defences  of  well-known  religious  institutions.  One 
speaker  has  championed  Roman  Catholicism,  and  the 
other  Presbyterianism.  And  why  ?  Seemingly,  be- 
cause one  speaker  is  a  Roman  Catholic,  and  the  other 
a  Presbyterian.  It  is  natural  for  a  believer  to  defend 
his  belief  and  his  sect.  But  when  ?  Surely  only  at  a 
time  when  such  defence  is  called  for.  Has  anyone 
present  given  the  first  speaker  cause  for  his  eloquent 
championship  of  his  church  ?  Did  the  theme  for  dis- 
cussion warrant  the  second  speaker  in  holding  forth  as 
he  did  ?     Did  they  not  both  speak  as  sectarians  pure 

J  84 


True  Monotheism.  185 

and  simple  ?  Will  such  a  method  of  treating  the  sub- 
ject tend  to  bring  us  any  nearer  the  truth  ?  Will  it 
not  leave  us  as  before,  each  with  his  own  preconceived 
opinion  ?     Of  what  profit  then  can  such  discussion  be  ? 

I  say  all  this  in  the  kindliest  spirit  possible,  and  de- 
sire only  to  remind  my  friends  that  the  aim  of  our 
organisation  is,  indeed,  Catholicism.  Not  the  narrow 
Catholicism  of  the  Romish  hierarchy,  but  that  grandest 
Catholicism  which  impels  the  mind  to  think  toward  the 
right  and  seek  the  truth.  This  Catholicism  it  is,  which 
is  the  manifest  distinguishing  mark  between  man  and 
animal.  It  is  this  attribute  which  links  and  unites  us 
to  the  All-Father,  whom  we,  for  want  of  a  grander 
word,  call  God.  If  this  be  our  aim,  shall  we  lower 
ourselves  to  become  creedsmen  and  sect  defenders  ? 

Our  text  is,  "  What  is  Our  Central  Theme,  and  What 
Should  It  Be?"  and  the  text  is  good.  No  mariner 
would  care  to  venture  on  the  high  seas  without  a  com- 
pass ;  and  no  individual  or  nation  can  make  headway 
in  the  ocean  of  progress  unless  sailing  under  the 
guidance  of  a  Central  Theme. 

What  then  should  be  our  Central  Theme  ?  We  have 
been  told  by  the  two  speakers  who  preceded  me  that  it 
should  be  God.  But  does  that  answer  the  question  ? 
Baal  and  Moloch  in  ancient  Syria  meant  God.  God 
was  called  "  Osiris  "  in  Egypt,  "  Ormuzd  "  in  Persia, 
"  Odin  "  in  Scandinavia,  "  Brahma  "  in  India.  What 
difference,  therefore,  can  there  be  between  Christians 
and  pagans,  since  both  believe  in  God  ? 

"Ah,"  some  one  replies,  "  the  name  itself  is  not 
material  ;  the  point  is,  what  does  God  stand  for  ?  The 
nations  you  name  were  poly  theists,  while  we  are  mono- 
theists.  The  pagans  had  their  good  gods  and  their  bad 
gods,   the  counterparts  of  the  good.      Osiris  had  his 


1 86  Let  There  Be  Light 

Typhon,  Brahma  his  Rudra,  Ormuzd  his  Ahriman, 
and  Odin  liis  Loki  ;  whereas  we  Christians  have  but 
one  God." 

To  this  I  reply,  "  And  is  not  the  Christianity  which 
now  predominates,  having  three  divisions  in  its  God- 
head, polytheistic  ?  Has  it  not,  besides  the  three  Gods, 
an  eternal  devil  ?  Is  this  monotheism  ?  Did  Christ 
teach  this  kind  of  monotheism  ?  If  he  did,  can  it  be 
shown  me  from  the  Scriptures  ?  ' ' 

When  Jesus  was  asked,  as  we  are  told  in  Mark, 
chapter  xii.,  verses  29,  30,  and  31,  to  make  plain  what 
He  taught,  what  did  He  reply  ?  "  Hear,  O  Israel  :  the 
Lord  our  God  is  one  God,  and  thou  shalt  love  the  Lord 
thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with 
all  thy  mind."  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as 
thyself."  Is  there  any  mention  of  a  trinity  here?  Is 
there  any  mention  of  an  eternal  devil  ? 

Are  Catholics  and  Presbyterians  then  really  mono- 
theists  ?  Are  they  not,  after  all,  pol^-theists,  as  were 
their  ancestors  before  them  ? 

The  light  of  true  monotheism,  of  the  one  and  only 
God,  did  indeed  shine  forth  from  Zion,  and  the  sages 
and  prophets  in  Israel  were  indeed  the  true  messengers 
of  the  Most  High  ;  but  the  sinful  people,  the  Jews, 
would  not  receive  what  was  offered  them,  and  they 
were  rejected.  Christ  came  to  continue  what  the 
prophets  had  begun,  but  they  rejected  Him  likewise. 
And  now  the  predominating  sects  and  creeds  call  them- 
selves Christians,  and  claim  heirship  of  Zion  and  Christ, 
but  have  they  not  dismantled  Zion  and  disfigured 
Christ  ? 

Yet  there  are  a  few  who  have  the  truth,  and  these 
few  are  called  Unitarians. 

What  other  phase  of  belief  approximates  more  nearly 


True  Monotheism  187 

to  the  teaching  of  Christ  and  of  the  prophets  than  does 
Unitarianism  ?  God  is  indeed  One  ;  for  how  else  could 
He  be  "  The  Absolute  ?  "  Does  not  Paul  declare  Him 
to  be  absolute  when  he  speaks  of  the  "  fullness  of  Him 
who  filleth  all  in  all  ?  "  There  is  indeed  room  in  the 
universe  for  creatures  of  whom  it  may  be  said,  as  Paul 
further  declares,  "  God  shall  be  above  all,  and  through 
all,  and  in  us  all  "  ;  but  if  God  is  absolute,  then  is  there 
no  room  whatever  for  an  additional  God  or  Gods,  or  for 
any  devil. 

Were  there  three  Gods,  whether  separately  three  or 
jointly  in  one,  each  would  then  be  a  limitation  on  the 
other  ;  all  would  then  be  conditioned.  Each  would 
exist  subject  to  the  condition  that  other  Gods  likewise 
exist  ;  hence  none  of  the  three,  nor  the  three  combined, 
could  then  be  absolute.  There  would  then  be  no  abso- 
lute God  at  all,  for  how  can  that  be  absolute  which  is 
conditioned  ?  And  that  which  is  not  absolute  cannot 
be  God.  More  than  one  God  would,  therefore,  render 
the  God-head  finite.  Belief  in  the  plurality  of  the  God- 
head is,  therefore,  belief  in  finite  gods  within  an  infinite 
universe. 

Such  were  the  beliefs  of  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Ro- 
mans and  of  all  other  polytheists.  Now  of  what  use  are 
finite  gods  in  an  infinite  universe  ?  Of  no  vise  what- 
ever ;  for  a  finite  god  can  never  comprehend  an  infinite 
universe.  If  it  cannot  comprehend,  it  necessarily  cannot 
govern.  Finite  gods  are,  therefore,  and  necessarily,  no 
gods  at  all.  They  simply  do  not  and  cannot  exist. 
Finite  gods  would  be  as  much  out  of  place  as  absolute 
unconditioned  governors  of  the  universe  as  an  infant 
would  be  to  guide  a  ship  across  the  ocean. 

God  is  indeed  infinite  and  absolute,  and  as  such  He 
must  be  unconditioned.     They  who  represent  Him  as 


1 88  Let  There  Be  Light 

three  in  one,  therefore  Hmit  Him.  Limiting  Him,  they 
insult  His  majesty  by  worshipping  an  idol  of  their  own 
creation.     They  are  idolators  pure  and  simple. 

And  what  is  idolatry  ?  Is  it  not  but  another  name 
for  cruelty,  for  inhumanity  and  for  brutality  ?  It  is 
such  indeed  ;  for  what  else  can  it  be,  deriving,  as  it 
does,  its  origin  from  the  polluted  fount  of  error  ?  As 
microbes,  when  introduced  into  a  body  weakened  by 
disease,  tend  to  multiply  themselves  prodigiousl}^  so 
do  wrong  beliefs  multiply  in  the  mind  diseased  when- 
ever it  is  governed  by  an  erroneous  Central  Theme  in 
religion. 

What  belief,  for  instance,  can  be  imagined  more 
savage,  more  inhuman,  and  more  insulting  to  the 
majesty  of  the  most  merciful  God  than  that  of  an 
eternal  hell-fire  for  the  unbaptised  child  ?  The  cruelty 
of  the  North  American  Indian  was  insignificant  when 
compared  to  the  cruelty  of  this  diabolical  and  degrading 
doctrine.  The  wonder  is  not  that  it  was  once  received, 
for  it  was  the  belief  of  men  of  primitive  minds.  The 
wonder  is  that  it  is  still  retained  in  this  progressive 
age,  in  the  beginning  of  this,  the  twentieth  century. 
Yet  what  better  result  can  we  expect  so  long  as  the 
Central  Theme  of  the  millions  is  supplied  from  a  pol- 
luted source  ? 

L,et  us  hope  and  pray  that  the  time  is  near  at  hand 
when  superstition  and  error  shall  diminish  and  fade 
away  forever,  and  when  mankind  shall  at  last  find  the 
One  true  and  only  God. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 


THE   LAW   OF   CAU.se   AND   EFFECT 


Ezra. —  The  fourth  speaker  will  be  Mr.  Fisher. 

Mr.  Fisher. — Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : 
I  have  been  much  amused,  as  well  as  interested,  by  the 
remarks  of  the  three  speakers  who  have  preceded  me. 
That  the  subject  is  not  new,  in  no  wise  diminishes  the 
interest  which  attaches  to  it  ;  and  we  may  rest  assured 
that  the  importance  of  the  question  under  discussion 
will  so  force  itself  upon  the  inquiring  mind  as  to  per- 
mit no  rest  until  some  satisfactory  solution  is  reached. 

If  I  may  be  permitted,  I  will  begin  my  remarks  with 
some  narration  of  my  own  experiences. 

My  parents,  who  lived  in  Germany,  were  Lutherans, 
and  in  my  early  boyhood  I  was  brought  up  under  strict 
religious  instruction.  I  was  so  apt  in  learning,  and  so 
zealous  in  matters  of  faith,  that  my  parents  had  a  mind 
to  have  me  trained  for  the  ministry.  Books  on  religion 
were  given  me,  which  I  eagerly  read,  and  reading  and 
study  became  my  ruling  passion.  The  time  came,  how- 
ever, when  I  sought  a  broader  field  of  knowledge  than 
could  be  found  in  the  books  given  me  by  my  parents. 
New  books,  which  I  craved,  I  at  length  succeeded  in 
obtaining  ;  and  with  this  new  reading,  this  enlarged 

189 


iQo  Let  There  Be  Light 

field  of  study,  the  scales  fell  from  my  eyes.  I  continued 
my  study  after  coming  to  this  country,  and  have  con- 
tinued it  until  now,  almost  all  on  the  subject  of  our 
present  discussion. 

There  are  men  who  assert,  directly  or  by  implication, 
that  religion  was  evolved  by  interested  priests  ;  and 
that  priestcraft,  in  its  operation,  was  much  like  a  secret 
monopoly  in  manufactures,  or  a  system  of  counterfeit- 
ing or  smuggling,  or  some  similar  device  for  appropriat- 
ing the  substance  of  others.  I  am  no  believer  in  this 
doctrine.  It  is  patent  to  all  of  us  that  in  our  day,  at 
least,  there  is  no  lack  of  general  intelligence  ;  and  no 
man  can  say  that  the  ministers  and  priests  are  wiser 
than  the  people  they  serve.  The  people  realise  the 
value  of  the  priestly  services  which  they  receive,  and 
are  content  with  their  bargain. 

What,  therefore,  originally  caused  the  demand  for 
religious  functions  ?  What  but  the  physical  act  of 
dreaming  ?  It  was  this  which  caused  primitive  man  to 
believe  that  his  soul  left  his  body  during  sleep.  And 
if  then,  why  not  in  the  long  sleep, — death  ?  And  after 
death  what  ?  Was  man  to  wander  forever,  alone  in 
spirit-land?  Oh,  no!  he  would  be  too  lonely;  he 
needed  to  be  accompanied,  as  on  earth,  by  his  wife,  by 
his  children,  by  his  friends,  and  even  sometimes  by  his 
faithful  dog  or  favourite  horse.  And  this  spirit-land, 
had  it  not  its  principal  chieftain,  its  ruler  ?  Yes  ;  and 
one  with  greater  power  than  the  chieftains  of  earth. 
The  great  chief  of  spirit-land  must  be  a  god,  endowed 
with  attributes  of  power. 

In  this  simple  recapitulation  we  see  the  rise  and  initial 
development  of  religion.  The  same  explanation  holds 
for  the  uncivilised  races  of  the  Pacific,  the  negroes  of 
Africa,  the  Greeks,  the  Egyptians,  the  Hebrews, — all  ! 


Law  of  Cause  and  Effect  191 

As  conquest  swallowed  up  the  smaller  tribes,  and  as 
these  became  merged  into  nations,  the  means  of  the 
ruling  chief  were  increased  in  proportion.  These  added 
resources  he  emploj^ed  to  increase  his  power  and  to 
heighten  his  honours.  And  the  agency  he  used  was 
none  other  than  sacerdotalism.  A  pompous  religious 
institution  served  better  to  promote  the  stability  of  his 
rule,  and  to  multiply  his  honours,  than  policemen  or 
soldiers  would  have  served  at  an  equal  or  greater  cost. 

At  the  death  of  the  ruling  chief  he  was  deified  and 
became  a  god,  and  his  successor,  when  he  died,  like- 
wise became  a  god.  And  as  the  earthly  exploits  of  the 
chiefs  were  retold  in  storj^  and  song,  so  were  the  ex- 
ploits of  the  heavenly  chiefs  revealed  and  told  and  sung. 
And  specially  selected  men  were  maintained  and  trained 
to  reveal,  praise,  and  interpret  these  exploits  ;  thus 
came  the  scribes,  seers,  prophets,  poets,  historiographers, 
preachers,  and  priests. 

As  the  chief  while  on  earth  had  powerful  enemies  to 
subdue,  so  had  he  in  spirit-land  the  counterpart  of  his 
earthly  enemies.  As  the  conquered  enemy  on  earth 
was  degraded  by  his  conqueror,  so  was  a  region  of  de- 
gradation provided  for  the  spirit  enemy  in  the  under 
spirit-land.  And  in  that  under  spirit-land,  too,  a  chief 
enemy  was  supplied,  a  devil,  in  enmity  against  the 
chiefs  or  gods  of  Heaven.  So  were  created  everywhere, 
by  all  nations,  the  generations  of  gods  in  the  upper  and 
in  the  under  world.  And  these  gods  were  feared  and 
worshipped  by  all  people. 

It  sometimes  happened  that  the  overthrow  of  a  weak 
or  cruel  tyrant  by  a  strong  chieftain  of  more  liberal 
trend  tended  to  build  up  a  new  system  of  belief.  These 
newer  systems  sometimes  assumed  the  form  of  nature 
worship,  or  worship  of  impersonal  qualities.     At  other 


192  Let  There  Be  Light 

times  the}'  rose  high  enough  to  be  classed  as  a  philo- 
sophy ;  such  as,  for  instance,  the  ancient  Vedas,  the 
Zendavesta,  the  higher  interpretations  of  Greek  myth- 
ology and  of  the  Hebrew  prophets.  But  now,  as  in  all 
previous  times,  the  mass  of  the  people  demand  the  gross 
and  concrete  in  the  domain  of  spirit-land  ;  and  these 
they  will  ever  continue  to  demand. 

Does  Judaism,  Christianity,  or  Mohammedanism 
show  any  essential  variations  in  origin  from  the  systems 
I  have  spoken  of?  Let  any  unbiassed  intelligent  person 
read  the  Old  or  the  New  Testament,  or  the  Koran,  and 
he  will  quickly  discern  that  one  and  the  very  same  cause 
actuated  all  these  productions,  as  it  actuated  the  rise 
of  all  other  religious  systems. 

Fortunately  there  are  two  antagonistic  forces  at  work, 
which  must  in  the  end  dispel  the  mental  and  intellectual 
darkness  which  has  hitherto  prevailed.  These  forces 
are  the  legends  and  miracles  of  the  Bible  and  the  Koran, 
on  the  one  hand,  and  the  increased  use  of  machinery  on 
the  other.  So  long  as  the  mass  of  mankind,  in  the 
struggle  for  existence,  depended  largely  on  the  fortui- 
tous conditions  of  changeful  nature,  so  long  was  there  a 
strong  inclination  to  invoke  the  assistance  of  spirit-land. 
When,  howev^er,  the  mass  of  the  people  shall  be  em- 
ployed in  operating  machinery,  they  will  in  time  per- 
ceive how  little  is  the  need  for  belief  in  supernatural 
powers.  They  will  learn  to  have  that  respect  for  the 
ordinary  laws  of  cause  and  eflFect  which  they  never 
had  before.  Do  we  not  see  evidences  that  they  are 
already  awakening  to  this  realisation  ? 

And  as  to  the  legends  and  miracles  of  the  Bible  and 
the  Koran,  it  is  indeed  fortunate  that  these  books,  as 
well  as  the  other  bibles  of  the  world,  have  come  down 
to  us  in  the  forms  in  which  we  find  them.     Had  these 


Law  of  Cause  and  Effect  193 

books  been  revised,  with  the  preposterous  miracles 
eliminated,  with  the  coarse,  immoral,  cruel,  and  brutal 
themes  altered  to  suit  the  higher  standard  of  to-day, 
then  indeed  there  would  have  been  a  dangerous  chance 
for  the  perpetuation  of  error  in  the  Central  Theme. 
But  in  the  form  in  which  they  have  come  down  to  us 
they  are  self-destructive,  and  must  perish  by  their  own 
weight  of  folly. 

Notwithstanding,  we  may  ask  whether  it  is  not  safer 
to  acquiesce  in  existing  religious  beliefs  rather  than  to 
tear  away  the  protection  which  they  afford  ?  But 
would  not  that  be  the  same  as  saying,  "  Is  it  not  better 
to  stifle  the  agitations  of  Labour  rather  than  destroy 
the  peace  of  any  unjust  capitalist  ?  " 

What  rewards,  what  benefits  have  accrued  to  the  poor 
deluded  worshippers  of  a  spirit-land  ?  Look  around, 
and  you  will  see  that  those  held  most  closely  in  the 
meshes  of  supernatural  beliefs  are  among  the  most  de- 
graded and  unfortunate  among  men.  Behold  the  Jews ! 
Who  among  the  nations  of  the  earth  were  more  devoted, 
more  loyal,  and  more  enthusiastically  attached  to  this 
idea  than  they  ?  Yet  what  benefit  has  it  ever  been  to 
them  ?  How  has  it  profited  them  that  Abraham  left 
his  comfortable  home  in  Chaldea,  and,  forsaking  all, 
founded  the  peculiar  supernatural  faith  which  was  to 
be  the  source  of  perpetual  misfortune  for  his  descend- 
ants ?  Was  not  the  mission  of  Moses  equally  un- 
fortunate ?  When  were  the  Jews  ever  free,  ever 
happy,  ever  prosperous  as  other  nations  have  been  ? 
Are  they  happy  now  ?  Have  they  not  been,  are  they 
not,  the  most  unfortunate,  the  most  unhappy  people  in 
the  whole  world  ? 

Pious  Christians,  and  impious  ones,  too,  tell  us  that 
the  Jews  are  in  misery  because  they  maltreated  and 


194  Let  There  Be  Light 

killed  Christ  ;  and  we  must  marvel  at  the  stupidity  or 
the  malevolence  of  these  Christians.  For  if,  as  they 
say,  Christ  was  ordained  from  the  beginning  to  suffer 
death  in  order  to  atone  for  the  sin  of  Adam,  and  thereby 
to  become  an  atonement  for  us  all,  and  if  all  this  was 
to  have  been  done  in  accordance  with  the  Will  of  the 
Father,  how  were  the  Jews  to  blame  in  carrying  out 
this  Will  of  the  Father  ?  Could  the  Jews  have  set  aside 
the  eternal  decrees  of  an  omnipotent  God  ?  Are  the 
Jews  to  be  held  responsible  for  Adam's  sin  ? 

"  But,"  say  some,  "  they  condemned  Jesus  on  false 
testimony."  How  so?  Did  they  accuse  Him  falsely 
when  they  charged  that  He  had  proclaimed  Himself  a 
part  of  the  God-head  ?  And  did  Jesus  deny  it  ?  Had 
He  never  taught  it  ?  Then  indeed  were  the  Jews  guilty, 
but  guilty  only  of  the  judicial  murder  of  a  man.  And 
if  the  Jews  were  guilty  of  this  crime,  how  infinitely 
greater  must  be  the  guilt  of  Christians  who  worship 
this  man  as  a  God  ! 

If  Jesus  was  really  God  Almighty,  and  became  in- 
carnate, and  came  down  to  earth  in  the  form  of  man, 
to  be  tried  according  to  the  law  of  the  Bible,  were  not 
the  Jews  in  full  accord  with  the  law,  when  they  con- 
demned Him  to  death  ?  Does  not  that  law  say,  "  If 
any  prophet  arise  among  you  and  teach  other  gods, 
even  if  he  show  signs  and  wonders,  him  ye  shall  de- 
stroy "  ?  Does  it  not  say,  "  Thou  shalt  have  no  other 
gods  before  me  "  ?  Does  it  not  say,"  The  Lord  our 
God  is  one  ' '  ?  Who  was  it  that  said  all  this  ?  Do 
not  Christians  tell  us  it  was  the  God  in  whom  they 
believe,  the  God  of  the  Bible  ?  If  God  said  this,  and 
meant  what  He  said,  what  blame  can  attach  to  the 
Jews  or  their  Judges  who  condemned  according  to  that 
law,  a  law  which  the  Jewish  and  Christian  God  gave 


Law  of  Cause  and  Effect  195 

and  commanded  to  be  obeyed  ?  Would  the  Jews  have 
done  better  if  they  had  broken  God's  law  ? 

If  the  god  of  whom  Moses  spoke  was  really  the 
Almighty  God,  Ruler  of  the  Universe  and  just  ;  and  if 
He  had  a  desire  to  send  a  part  of  the  God-head  upon 
earth  for  the  purpose  of  being  killed,  to  atone  for  the 
sin  of  Adam,  we  should  expect  Him  to  hav^e  said  to 
Moses  about  the  following  :  ' '  And  the  I^ord  spoke  to 
Moses,  saying,  '  Go  and  speak  unto  the  children  of 
Israel,  and  tell  them  that  One  God  means  three  Gods, 
and  that  I  am  the  Father,  and  beside  me  are  the  Son 
and  the  Holy  Ghost.  Three  Gods  in  one  shall  ye  have 
unto  j^ourselves  forever,  and  they  shall  be  called  the 
Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  three 
shall  be  one  forever. ' 

"  And  the  Lord  spake  5^et  again  unto  Moses,  saying, 
'  Go  speak  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  and  tell  them 
that  in  the  days  of  the  Roman  Empire,  when  it  shall 
have  come,  even  in  the  days  of  Augustus  Caesar,  I  will 
send  down  to  the  earth,  in  human  form,  the  third  part 
of  the  God-head,  and  He  is  to  be  called  Jesus,  and  He 
is  to  suffer  death,  and  thus  atone  for  the  .sin  of  Adam, 
in  order  that  all  Christians  may  find  atonement  through 
His  blood,  which  shall  be  shed.  But  let  no  son  of  the 
children  of  Israel  lay  hold  on  Him  to  slay  Him,  or  to 
accuse  Him,  or  to  try  Him  before  any  Judges  in  Israel. 
He  must  surely  die,  but  not  by  the  hand  of  any  of 
the  children  of  Israel.  By  the  hand  of  the  Romans 
shall  He  die. 

"  '  And  tell  thou,  moreover,  to  the  children  of  Israel 
that  on  the  day  when  my  Son  Jesus  shall  have  been 
slain,  then  shall  they  accept  and  worship  Him  as  God; 
and  they  shall  in  that  day  put  away  the  Judaism  which 
I  have  given  them,  and  they  are  thenceforth  no  longer 


196  Let  There  Be  Light 

to  call  themselves  Israelites  or  Jews,  but  they  shall  be- 
come Christians  in  honour  of  my  Son  Jesus,  who  shall 
be  crucified  by  the  Romans.  And  because  of  this,  let 
all  who  believe  in  Him  as  God  be  called  Christians. 
And  let  the  House  of  Israel  from  that  day  be  called 
Christian.     I  have  spoken  it.'  " 

Were  any  such  things  as  these  in  the  Bible,  there 
would  be  ground  for  the  inhuman  treatment  which  the 
Jews  have  received  from  Christians.  But  as  the  law  in 
the  Bible  stands,  how  is  it  possible  for  the  unbiassed, 
the  intelligent,  and  the  just  to  blame  the  Jewish  Judges 
for  having  condemned  to  death  a  person  charged  with  a 
crime  so  emphatically  proven  to  be  capital  by  the  Bible — 
by  that  Bible  which  is  acknowledged  by  all  Christians 
to  be  the  law  given  by  the  Christian  God  himself? 

But  those  who  expect  religious  partisans  to  be  intelli- 
gent, unbiassed,  and  just,  are  doomed  to  eternal  dis- 
appointment. How  can  we  expect  unbiassed  opinions, 
equity  and  justice  from  believers  in  a  theory  which  is 
not  itself  grounded  on  justice  and  equity  ?  As  my 
friend,  the  third  speaker,  said,  when  speaking  of 
idolatry,  "  And  what  of  idolatry?  Is  it  not  but  an- 
other name  for  cruelty,  for  inhumanity  and  for  bru- 
tality ?  It  is  such  indeed  ;  for  what  else  can  it  be, 
deriving,  as  it  does,  its  origin  from  the  polluted  fount 
of  error  ?  As  microbes,  when  introduced  into  a  body 
weakened  by  disease,  tend  to  multiply  themselves  pro- 
digiously, so  do  wrong  beliefs  multiply  in  the  mind 
diseased,  whenever  it  is  governed  by  an  erroneous 
Central  Theme  in  religion." 

Hatred,  persecution  and  cruelty — all  these  came  with 
religion.  To  abolish  them  we  must  abolish  religion. 
Our  Central  Theme  is  here  without  it.  It  is  ever  pre- 
sent in  the  eternal  laws  of  Cause  and  Eflfect, 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 


GOD  THE   CAUSE 


Ezra. — The  fifth  speaker  is  Mr.  Quail,  the  censor  of 
the  evening. 

Mr.  Quail. —  Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : 
I  must  beg  the  indulgence  of  the  club,  to  permit  me  to 
vary  somewhat  from  the  usual  course  of  the  censor.  I 
find  it  impossible  to  proceed  otherwise.  I  therefore  ask 
permission  for  such  deviation,  and  I  present  my  reason 
for  the  unusual  request. 

I  am,  as  some  of  you  know,  a  Baptist  ;  and  as  a  Bap- 
tist I  feel  it  my  duty  to  stand  up  here  in  defence  of  the 
church  of  which  I  am  a  member.  But  my  duty  as 
censor  of  the  evening  prompts  me  to  set  aside  that  feel- 
ing, and  to  make  my  presentation  from  a  point  of  view 
which  shall  permit  that  freedom  and  broad  catholicity 
so  characteristic  of  our  association.  I  admit  that,  had 
I  been  the  first  speaker,  I  should  unhesitatingly  have 
made  a  presentation  for  the  Baptist  Church  similar 
in  character  to  that  made  to-night  for  Roman  Catholi- 
cism. But  the  impression  made  by  the  preceding 
speakers  as  a  whole  has  so  modified  my  former  and 
seemingly  fixed  opinions,  that  I  am  sure  my  presenta- 
tion will  now  show  marked  variations. 

197 


198  Let  There  Be  Light 

Were  this  discussion  on  politics,  or  economics,  or 
conduct,  I  could  think  and  decide  in  that  free  and 
unhampered  condition  of  mind  which  lends  itself  read- 
ily to  the  direction  of  discussion  and  to  the  logic  of  the 
occasion.  But  my  reverence  for  my  faith  on  the  one 
hand,  and  my  strong  desire  to  conform  to  the  usage  of 
our  association  on  the  other,  have  so  blurred  the  line 
of  my  intent  that  I  find  I  am  unable  to  proceed  and 
adhere  to  the  usual  course. 

For  these  reasons  I  ask  permission  to  proceed  this 
evening  on  that  line  which  seems  to  me  most  in  har- 
mony' with  my  inclinations. 

Ezra. —  What  is  the  pleasure  of  the  association  ? 

Mr.  Bradley  then  moved  that  Mr.  Quail  be  permitted 
to  continue  on  the  line  indicated;  Mr.  Valanti  seconded 
the  motion,  and  it  was  carried, 

M}-.  Quail. —  We  may  well  hesitate  before  giving 
free  rein  to  the  imagination,  or  permitting  the  unde- 
veloped mind  to  form  conclusions  on  a  subject  so  vital 
to  us  here  and  hereafter  as  our  faith  and  religion. 

What  other  possession  is  so  precious,  especially  to 
the  poor,  and  more  especially  to  the  oppressed  and 
ostracised  ?  In  whom  can  be  found  the  eye  that  will 
not  turn  away,  and  the  heart  that  will  not  reject,  ex- 
cept in  the  most  blessed  Redeemer  ?  If  now  our  shield, 
our  guardian,  our  guide  and  our  uplifter  be  taken  from 
us,  where  shall  we  find  hope,  comfort,  or  consolation  ? 
Shall  it  be,  as  the  fourth  speaker  has  told  us,  in  the  law 
of  cause  and  effect  ?  Do  not  my  people  suffer  suffi- 
ciently as  an  effect  ?  And  is  not  the  effect  caused  ? 
Surely  !  Here  then  are  cause  and  effect.  Shall  we 
worship  them  ?  Shall  we  pray  to  them  ?  Can  we,  by 
praying  to  prejudice,  to  cruelty,  to  pride,  to  insolence, 
to  wrong  and  to  inhumanity,  remove  them  ?     Yet  these 


God  the  Cause  199 

are  the  causes  which  make  my  people  suffer.  The  Law 
of  Cause  and  Effect  may  stand  sufficient  for  those  who 
do  not  need  God,  for  those  who  do  not  sin  and  for 
those  who  are  not  sinned  against.  But  of  what  benefit 
can  It  be  to  me  or  to  my  people  ? 

Our  earthly  existence  is  indeed  thickly  strewn  with 
thorns  as  it  is  ;  but  a  line  and  a  limitation  have  been  set 
for  our  sufferings.  That  line  is  religion,  and  the  limi- 
^tion  IS  the  measure  of  kindliness  which  it  engenders 
The  removal  of  religion  would  remove  hope  and  hu- 
manity, for  it  would  quickly  degrade  all  to  the  level  of 
rapacious,  ferocious  and  unpitying  wild  beasts.  Such 
were  the  French  during  the  reign  of  terror,  when  they 
cast  out  God  and  enthroned  a  harlot  in  His  place  ;  and 
such  have  been  all  who  knew  not  God. 

Which  among  the  peoples  of  the  earth  are  the  most 
unprogressive  and  slavish  ?  What  others  than  those 
who  believe  in  Buddhism  ?  Yet  the  Buddhist  is  a  be- 
liever and  has  for  his  Central  Theme  the  Law  of  Cause 
and  Effect:  the  very  thing  proposed  by  the  fourth 
speaker. 

What  therefore  is  this  Cause  and  Effect,   that  we 
should  have  it  as  a  Central  Theme  in  the  place  of  God  ? 
How  may  we  recognise  it?     How  frame  it.  in  our  appre-    ' 
hensions  ?     Shall  we,  as  did  the  ancient  Greeks,  speak 
ot  it  as  a  "  fortuitous  concourse  of  atoms  "  ?    Shall  we 
call  It  a  "  rhythmic  motion  ' '  ?     Shall  we  say  it  is  "  im- 
pelled atoms  seeking  an  equilibrium  ' '  ?     Shall  we  name 
It  a  "plurality  of  relatives  "  ?    Shall  we  assert  that  it 
IS       forces  seeking   the   point  of  least   resistance"? 
And,  after  all,  when  we  ask-what  is  an  atom,  what  is 
motion,  what  is  force,  can  anyone  but  God  answer  ? 
Yet,  were  anyone  able  to  take  up  a  single  grain  of  sand 
and  read  its  story  aright,   he  would  be  able  also  to 


200  Let  There  Be  Light 

decipber  the  secrets  of  creation  and  of  infinity.  And 
can  man,  finite  man,  expand  his  feeble  power  so  as  to 
grasp  the  secrets  of  God  ? 

Or  shall  we  say  that  in  the  beginning  there  were 
fiery  particles  in  equal  suspension,  and  that  one  of  the 
fiery  particles  began  to  move,  and  thus  nebulas  were 
born  ?  That  the  nebulas,  through  the  laws  of  gravita- 
tion, through  motion,  became  suns  ?  That  the  suns 
threw  off  rings  which,  by  cooling,  condensed  into  plan- 
ets ?  That  these  evolved  from  themselves  organic  life  ? 
Shall  we  say  all  this,  and  find  no  difficulty  in  believing 
it  ?  Must  we  not  then  likewise  believe  that  the  mind 
and  the  reason  with  which  we  are  endowed  were  poten- 
tially present  at  a  time  before  there  was  a  planet,  a  sun, 
or  a  nebula  ? 

And  if  this  mind,  this  reason,  was  potentially  present, 
is  it  not  also  possible  that  infinitely  greater  minds  were 
likewise  potentially  present  ?  Is  it  not  still  more  pos- 
sible and  reasonable  to  believe  that  beyond  and  above 
all  phenomena  is  the  unconditioned,  absolute,  infinite, 
eternal  Noumenon  ?  And  is  not  that  Noumenon  God  ? 
Let  those  who  refuse  to  accept  this  natural  and  reason- 
able conclusion  then  tell  us  by  what  process,  by  what 
links  in  the  chain  of  cause  and  effect,  we  can  connect 
the  original  impalpable  fiery  particle  with  the  palpable 
granite  ?  Why  did  some  of  these  fiery  particles  form 
earth,  others  metal,  and  still  others  thought  ?  Must 
we  not  marvel  at  the  huge  faith  demanded  of  us  in 
order  to  accept  all  this  as  our  Central  Theme  ?  How 
much  simpler  and  more  rational  is  the  belief  in  the 
omnipotence  of  the  Most  High  God  !  Far  be  it  from 
me,  therefore,  to  reject  God,  and  thus  do  violence  to 
my  reason  and  my  conscience. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 


THE  UPLIFTING  OF  THE   NATIONS 


Quail  (continuing). — It  is  not  my  desire  to  fly  from 
Religion.  On  the  contrary,  I  would  cling  closer  to  it ; 
and  my  most  earnest  hope  is  that  some  day,  and  in 
this  land,  the  Lord  will  inspire  some  among  my  people 
to  become  seers  and  prophets  for  all  the  world,  even  as 
were  the  Jews  of  old.  Does  this  seem  an  impossibility  ? 
Will  the  negro  never  rise  from  the  dunghill,  will  he 
never  put  aside  the  tear-stained  garments  of  humilia- 
tion? Shall  the  All-Merciful  God  forget  to  be  just  to 
His  black  children,  and  shall  he  reserve  His  chiefest 
blessings  for  those  He  has  created  with  a  white  skin  ? 
"  No,  a  thousand  times  no  !  "  the  answer  comes  to  us 
from  God,  direct  to  our  hearts.  Can  Justice  be  unjust  ? 
And  is  not  God  Justice  ?  We  will  therefore  put  our 
trust  in  Him,  and  gird  ourselves  ready  for  the  great 
work. 

What  great  work  ?  This  which  the  discussion  has 
brought  forth.  Everywhere  and  at  all  times  man  and 
his  neighbour  had  between  them  enmity.  Christ 
came  and  taught  them  to  put  away  enmity  and  to  take 
up  amity.  And  Christ  freely  commissioned  all,  in  His 
name,  to  take  up  His  work.     And  behold,  is  there  not 


202  Let  There  Be  Light 

enmity  because  of  division  and  diversit}-  in  opinion  ? 
Cannot  some  way  be  found  which  will  remove  the 
cause  of  division  ?  Surely.  And  how  can  we  better 
do  Christ's  work  than  by  endeavouring  to  find  such  a 
wa}'  ? 

Against  this  endeavour,  let  no  one  urge  that  there  is 
no  room  for  further  development  in  religion.  Is  God 
dead  ?  Did  He  die  with  the  completion  of  the  last  chap- 
ter of  the  Bible  ?  Is  He  not  living  even  now  ?  Is  there 
not  as  much  need  of  progress  in  Religion  now  as  in 
the  past  ?  Cannot  God  produce  seers  and  prophets  in 
our  time,  and  in  this  country,  as  well  as  He  did  in  days 
gone  by,  and  in  Judea  ?  There  are  indeed  difficulties 
and  stumbling-blocks  in  the  way  ;  difficulties  and 
differences  which  even  a  specially  trained  and  con- 
servative clergy  find  it  impossible  to  remove.  To  some 
of  these  difficulties  attention  has  been  directed  in  our 
discussion.  The  fourth  speaker  pointed  to  the  legends 
and  miracles  of  the  Bible  as  an  evidence  of  its  falsity, 
I  contend  that,  on  the  contrary,  this  very  seeming  de- 
fect gives  the  Bible  its  stamp  of  authenticity. 

Supposing,  for  instance,  that  someone  should  bring 
me  a  lamp  of  elaborate  workmanship,  claiming  to  have 
just  dug  it  from  one  of  the  Indian  mounds  of  Ohio,  and 
offering  it  as  an  evidence  of  the  high  civilisation  of  the 
ancient  American  tribes.  Supposing,  further,  that  on 
examination,  I  found  the  words  "  Meriden,  patented, 
1890,"  stamped  thereon,  would  not  that  stamp  be  suffi- 
cient proof  against  the  claim  ?  So  with  the  Bible.  The 
very  defects  which  are  urged  against  it  are  the  strongest 
evidence  that  it  has  come  down  to  us  from  remote 
times. 

But  shall  we,  for  this  reason,  treat  these  defects  as 
on  a  par  with  the  treasures  of  eternal  truth  it  contains, 


The  Uplifting  of  the  Nations       203 

which  are  so  evident  and  so  responsive  to  the  spiritual 
mind  ?  Does  not  this  forced  faith  in  the  mingled  true 
and  false  frustrate  the  purpose  of  the  whole  ?  Is  not 
this  undiscriminating  faith  the  very  source  of  contention 
and  of  enmities,  of  scepticism  and  of  final  atheism  ? 
Surely  !  As  for  development,  is  it  not  ever  going  on  ? 
Is  it  not  the  will  of  God  ?  And  if  development  is  to  go 
on  everywhere  and  for  all  time,  why  then  should  it  not 
go  on  in  the  most  exalted  of  all  spheres,  in  religion  ? 
It  surely  will  ;  and  I  feel  that  no  earthly  power  can 
prevent  it.  It  is  in  fact  going  on  now,  for  only  the  reck- 
less or  ignorant  preacher  will  presume,  in  our  day,  to 
shout  to  his  unfortunate  listeners  stories  of  eternal  dam- 
nation or  burnings  and  tortures  in  an  everlasting  hell. 

Before  we  ask  all  men  to  come  to  Christ,  ought  we 
not  to  remove  the  stumbling-blocks  in  their  way  ?  This 
is  fit  work  for  the  followers  of  Christ,  especially  in  view 
of  the  wonderful  economic,  political  and  social  changes 
which  are  now  going  on  throughout  the  world.  In  this 
very  work  a  great  field  is  open  to  my  people  ;  for  who 
has  more  need  of  amelioration  in  his  circumstances  than 
he  who  suffers  under  the  evils  of  present  conditions  ? 
Can  we  not  most  surely  earn  for  ourselves  the  right  to 
equity,  the  right  to  justice,  if  we  work  for  equity  and, 
through  working,  accomplish  it  for  all  men  ? 

It  may  be  said  that  we  are  inferior,  incapable  ;  but 
were  the  Jews,  on  their  escape  from  Pharaoh's  hands, 
and  fresh  from  slavery,  any  better  fitted  to  produce 
great  world-ideas  ?  And  when  the  Jewish  captives, 
brought  in  chains  to  Rome,  were  made  to  pass  under 
the  arch  of  Titus  as  a  mark  of  extreme  humiliation, 
how  was  it  then  ?  Had  anyone  then  declared  to  the 
proud  Emperor  that  not  Rome,  but  Judea,  had  con- 
quered,  would  he  not  have  been  laughed  to  scorn  ? 


204  Let  There  Be  Light 

Yet  Judea  had  conquered;  and  all  that  now  remains  of 
Rome,  then  the  mistress  of  the  known  world,  are  a  few 
disfigured  pieces  of  marble  and  bronze,  which  might  be 
almost  all  contained  in  the  museum  of  the  Vatican. 

Right  in  front  of  the  Vatican  stands  a  holy  edifice, 
representative  of  what  was,  until  within  recent  times, 
the  Church  of  Christendom  —  the  Church  which  even 
in  our  day  numbers  over  one  hundred  and  fifty  million 
followers.  As  we  enter  this  most  beautiful  House  of 
Prayer,  this  Church  of  St.  Peter,  we  look  in  vain  for  the 
statues  of  Romulus,  of  Numa,  ofTarquin,  of  the  elder 
Brutus,  of  Cato,  of  Julius  Caesar,  of  Augustus,  of  Cicero, 
of  Marcus  Aurelius,  or  of  the  former  gods  of  Rome.  In- 
stead, we  find  at  the  front,  and  before  the  Sanctum 
Sanctorum,  the  statues  of  Isaiah,  a  Jew  ;  of  Jeremiah, 
a  Jew  ;  and,  in  the  centre,  those  of  David,  a  Jew  ;  of 
Solomon,  a  Jew  ;  of  Peter,  a  Jew  ;  of  Paul,  a  Jew  ;  of 
Mary,  a  Jewess  ;  and  of  Jesus,  a  Jew.  And  all  who 
come  to  worship  bow  reverently  before  them,  offering 
prayer.  And  the  great  bronze  statue  of  Peter  shows 
much  wear  at  the  toe,  from  the  many  millions  who 
have  worn  away  the  bronze  by  their  fervent  kisses. 

If  the  Jew  has  accomplished  so  much,  and  for  the 
whole  world,  shall  we  not  emulate  his  example  ? 
Shall  we  not  endeavour  to  walk  in  his  footsteps  ?  But 
much  as  I  wish  and  hope  and  desire  for  my  people,  for 
the  negro,  to  accomplish,  I  seem  to  have  a  melancholy 
foreboding, — to  receive  an  almost  intuitive  announce- 
ment,— that  the  exalted  mission  of  .spiritually  uplifting 
the  nations  of  the  earth  still  further  is  not  to  be  en- 
trusted to  my  people.  No,  nor  to  any  people  other 
than  the  Jews.  I  have  a  presentiment  that  they,  and 
they  alone,  are  to  finish  what  they  so  many  centuries 
ago  began. 


The  Uplifting  of  the  Nations       205 

Perhaps  this  presentiment  comes  from  my  impressions 
of  some  portions  of  the  Scriptures,  wherein  it  is  said 
that  ' '  Salvation  is  of  the  Jews, ' '  or  perhaps  it  comes 
from  the  promises  of  the  revered  prophets,  so  clearly 
and  emphatically  set  forth.  Have  not  the  Jews,  ever 
since  their  dispersion,  cherished  this  very  thought  ? 
And  centuries  of  earnest  thought  on  an  exalted  theme 
must,  in  the  end,  result  in  the  conservation  of  a  power 
potent  enough  for  exalted  ends. 

So  be  it  then,  so  long  as  the  nations  and  the  people 
of  the  whole  world  are  to  be  sharers  in  the  sublime 
change  which  shall  bring  God's  rule  on  earth  even  as 
it  is  in  Heaven.     May  that  day  speedily  come. 

Ezra. — The  time  for  adjournment  having  arrived,  it 
will  be  necessary  to  postpone  until  another  occasion 
any  review  of  the  remarks  of  the  several  speakers. 

Mr.  Valanti. — I  move  that  this  meeting  adjourn  until 
to-morrow  night. 

The  motion  was  seconded  and  carried,  and  the  meet- 
ing adjourned. 


CHAPTER   XXX 


FOURTH   SUMMARY   BY   EZRA 


REPORT  of  adjourned  meeting,  Thursday,  April 
20,  1899,  7.45  P.M. 

Ezra. — The  Twentieth  Century  Club  will  now  come 
to  order.  Ladies  and  Gentlemen :  This  is  an  adjourned 
meeting  of  the  club,  and  it  is  now  in  order  for  me  to  re- 
view the  remarks  of  the  several  speakers  of  last  night 
on  the  subject  of  "  What  is  Our  Central  Theme  and 
What  Should  It  Be  ?  "  I  have  been  deeply  impressed 
by  the  several  presentations  of  the  subject,  and  shall  re- 
fer to  them,  from  time  to  time,  as  occasion  may  require. 

We  may  gather  from  what  has  been  said  that  religious 
development  shows  several  evolutionary  stages.  We 
learn  that  the  stages  of  intuition  and  inspiration  were 
followed  by  that  of  revelation  ;  and  these  I  denominate 
the  original  or  primary  stages  in  religious  development. 
I  desire  to  complete  the  list  by  adding  the  final  evolution- 
ary stage  in  religious  dev^elopment, —  that  of  reason,  de- 
rived from  experience.  The  order  in  which  these  stages 
of  development  have  been  placed  seems  reasonable, 
especially  so  far  as  Judaism,  Christianity,  and  Moham- 
medanism are  concerned  ;  for  these  are  religious  sj'S- 
tems  founded  on  intuition,  inspiration,  and  rev^elation. 

206 


Fourth  Summary  by  Ezra        207 

And  now,  in  order  that  we  may  proceed  intelligently, 
it  is  necessary  that  we  have  some  understanding  of 
what  is  meant  by  intuition. 

Intuitive  ideas  seemingly  come  unbidden  and  spon- 
taneously. The  uncritical  are  apt  to  infer  that  as  some 
persons  are  fortunate  or,  as  they  term  it,  "  lucky,"  in 
money  affairs,  so  others  are  fortunate  or  ' '  lucky ' '  in 
their  inspired  ideas,  in  their  intuitions.  It  may  not 
occur  to  the  uncritical  that  such  seemingly  spontaneous 
inspirations  or  intuitions  really  come  to  us  as  a  result 
of  the  process  of  generalisation.  It  may  not  be  under- 
stood by  them  that  inspiration  is  the  result,  the  logical 
conclusion,  of  prior  thought  and  experiences  stored  in 
the  mind. 

Nor  do  they  seem  to  understand  that  this  process  of 
generalisation  is  much  the  same  as  if  the  mind  were  to 
assemble  before  it  as  many  experiences  as  possible,  and 
were  to  separate  and  sort  them  into  groups,  as  a  judge 
sorts  and  separates  evidence,  from  the  material  part  of 
which  a  judgment  or  verdict  is  to  be  arrived  at.  A 
conclusion  reached  by  this  process,  when  original  and 
acceptable  to  the  mind,  is  sometimes  denominated  in- 
tuition or  inspiration. 

Sometimes  conclusions  seem  to  come  like  a  flash, 
spontaneously;  but  in  no  case  can  they  come  unless  the 
prior  thought  and  experiences  which  go  to  form  them 
are  present  in  the  mind.  Without  the  presence  of  prior 
thought  and  experiences,  and  without  the  consideration 
of  them,  both  concomitantly,  in  their  relations  to  one 
another,  and  as  a  whole,  there  can  be  no  conclusion, 
no  inspiration,  no  intuition. 

We  may,  for  instance,  form  a  fair  conception  of  this 
idea  by  observing  the  operation  of  a  kaleidoscope.  On 
being  slowly  revolved,   a  kaleidoscope  will  form  the 


2o8  Let  There  Be  Light 

pieces  of  variously  shaped  and  coloured  glass  into  cer- 
tain fixed  combinations  or  designs.  Now  each  thought 
stored  away  in  the  mind  may  be  represented  by  each 
piece  of  glass  in  the  kaleidoscope.  "Whenever,  then, 
there  is  a  suflQcient  quality,  quantity  and  variety  of 
thoughts  stored  in  the  mind,  and  whenever  these 
thoughts  are  sufficiently  and  concomitantly  blended 
and  adjusted  in  any  given  direction,  there  may  follow 
an  original  combination  within  the  mind,  which,  as 
said  before,  if  new,  and  if  acceptably  received,  is  called 
inspiration  or  intuition. 

Intuitive  ideas  maj^  however,  be  properly  divided 
into  two  general  divisions  :  first,  those  which  relate  to 
conclusions  within  a  limited  field  of  concrete  experi- 
ences ;  and,  second,  ideas  which  come  as  a  result  of  the 
widest  possible  range  of  thought  and  of  the  highest 
possible  order  of  generalisation. 

Examples  of  the  first  class  may  be  seen  in  the  modi- 
fications by  which  the  Howe  sewing  machine  has  de- 
veloped into  the  improved  sewing  machines  now  in  use. 
An  example  of  the  second  ma}^  be  given  in  the  highly 
abstract  conclusions  of  the  prophets,  who,  beginning 
on  the  level  of  concrete  experiences,  generalised  these 
into  themes  so  abstract  as  to  baffle  any  effort  of  the 
mind  to  connect  their  conclusions  with  concrete  evi- 
dences. The  current  links  in  the  chain  of  concrete  ex- 
perience serve  to  little  purpose  here.  Indeed,  the 
Jewish  prophets  scarce  deemed  it  necessary  to  make  an 
attempt  to  offer  proof  ;  the  conclusion  of  an  eternal,  in- 
finite, absolute,  and  unconditioned  God  once  having 
been  divined  and  cognised  by  the  mind,  there  was  no 
serious  attempt  to  offer  proof  in  evidence. 

And  it  was  well  that  this  was  so  ;  for  what  proof 
could  have  been  offered  ;  and  what  kind  of  concrete 


Fourth  Summary  by  Ezra        209 

chain  of  evidence  could  have  been  submitted  which 
would  have  stood  the  test  of  time  and  the  test  of  pro- 
gress ?  None  that  could  have  been  offered  at  that  time, 
as  is  evidenced  by  the  attempts  of  the  philosophers  of 
Greece,  and  of  the  other  philosophers  of  antiquity. 

The  materialisation  of  abstract  intuitive  ideas  in  a 
religious  system  seems  to  manifest  itself  in  certain 
stages  of  development.  At  first  it  takes  the  form  of 
involved  symbolism.  Changes  denominated  reforms 
eventually  occur  which,  in  the  main,  consist  in  modifi- 
cations from  the  highly  involved  to  the  less  involved 
forms  of  symbolism. 

The  innovation  during  the  time  of  Ezra  the  Scribe, 
mentioned  by  the  second  speaker,  in  the  establishment 
of  the  synagogue,  or  House  of  Assembly,  modified  the 
primitive  form  of  Judaism.  In  contradistinction  to  the 
Temple,  it  was  a  modification  and  evolution  from 
the  more  involved  Temple  symbolism  to  the  less  in- 
volved form  of  simpler  prayer  houses,  or  "  Houses  of 
Assembly  "  for  prayer.  This  was  further  supplemented 
and  emphasised  by  the  labours  of  the  Prophets  and 
Sages  of  Israel. 

Now  what  has  been  said  here  of  Judaism  is  equally 
true  of  Christianity.  In  the  beginning  this  religious 
system  crystallised  itself  in  the  involved  symbolic 
forms  manifested  in  Roman  and  in  Greek  Catholicism. 
In  course  of  time,  chiefly  through  the  Reformation,  it 
began  to  be  modified  from  the  involved  to  the  less  in- 
volved form. 

The  Roman  Catholic  and  Greek  Catholic  forms  which 
Christianity  originally  assumed,  were,  therefore,  as 
natural  to  Christianity  at  that  time,  as  was  the  Temple 
service  to  early  Judaism.  The  less  involved  symbolism 
of  the  Protestant  churches  was  likewise  as  natural  an 


2IO  Let  There  Be  Light 

outgrowth  of  development  in  Christianity  as  the  Houses 
of  Assembly  were  from  the  Temple  service  at  Jerusalem. 
In  fact,  both  systems  were  necessary  complements  to 
each  other. 

Those  persons,  therefore,  who  hold  the  opinion  that 
Christianity  should  have  established  itself  without  Ro- 
man or  Greek  Catholicism,  seem  to  overlook  the  usual 
and  incidental  stages  which  regularly  precede  the  de- 
velopment of  religious  systems. 

In  considering  this  subject,  it  may  not  be  out  of  place 
to  observe  two  statements  usually  made  in  reference  to 
these  primitive  forms  of  the  predominant  churches  : 
One,  that  they  are  subversive,  and  the  other,  that  they 
are  catholic.  Both  of  these  statements  are  false  ;  for 
instead  of  being  subversive  we  see,  on  the  contrary,  that 
they  are  indirectly  constructive  ;  instead  of  being 
catholic  they  are  largely  ethnic.  It  is  true  that, 
through  extraordinary  efforts, —  ofttimes  largely  co- 
ercive,—  they  may  take  on  a  phase  of  Catholicism,  but 
no  sooner  are  these  efforts  relaxed  or  removed  than 
they  quickly  lose  the  phase  of  catholicity. 

Reverting  again  to  the  main  subject,  we  may  say 
that  if  we  admit  as  true  what  I  have  thus  far  affirmed, 
it  must  necessarily  follow  that  Roman  and  Greek  Catho- 
licism were,  and  are  still  to  some  extent,  necessary  steps 
in  the  progress  of  Christianity.  If  this  be  true,  it  must 
follow  that  those  who  speak  disparagingly  of  the  early 
forms  which  Christianity  assumed,  the  forms  of  Roman 
and  Greek  Catholicism,  cannot  have  in  mind  what  has 
just  been  said. 

The  remarks  of  the  second  speaker  bring  into  relief 
an  important  form  of  procedure  in  the  Houses  of  As- 
sembly, which  arose  during  the  time  of  Ezra  the  Scribe. 
This  was  the  remarkable  custom  which  freely  permitted 


Fourth  Summary  by  Ezra        2 1 1 

the  members  of  a  congregation,  or  visiting  strangers  of 
the  same  faith,  to  occupy  the  pulpit  during  the  time  of 
religious  services  for  the  purpose  of  expounding  the 
Scriptures.  This  custom,  though  long  since  abolished 
in  the  synagogue  proper,  is  still  in  vogue  among  the 
major  portion  of  the  Jews  of  the  world  ;  who,  on  as- 
sembling in  what  are  called  "  The  Houses  of  Study," 
ask,  expound,  and  answer  Scripture  questions.  The 
important  results  which  followed  this  peculiar  mode  of 
procedure  were  twofold.  The  freedom  of  public  ex- 
position largely  promoted  the  mental  development  of 
the  Jews,  even  after  their  dispersion,  and  has  continued 
to  do  so,  to  a  large  extent,  among  orthodox  Jews  to 
the  present  day. 

To  this  custom  also  Christianity  owes  the  opportunity 
for  that  rapid  early  development  without  which  its  pro- 
gress would  have  been  materially  retarded.  It  was 
this  which  permitted  the  apostles,  the  disciples,  and 
the  early  converts  to  Christianity  to  enter  the  syna- 
gogue and,  during  worship,  to  occupy  the  pulpit  and 
expound  the  Scriptures.  The  New  Testament  speaks 
of  many  such  instances.  And  it  is  perhaps  worthy  of 
note  that  this  custom  is  the  most  remarkable  instance 
of  democracy  in  religion  that  has  ever  appeared  in  a 
religious  system. 

The  third  speaker  defines  an  idolater  as  a  believer 
who  postulates  false  attributes  of  God.  And  is  he  not 
correct  ?  We  shall  see  farther  on.  The  fourth  speaker's 
opinion  concerning  the  rise  and  development  of  the 
God-idea  is  instructive,  and  his  conclusion  as  to  the 
sufficiency  of  the  law  of  Cause  and  Effect  is  interesting. 
The  fifth  speaker  predicates  that  this  country  is  a  pos- 
sible field  for  new  religious  development. 

We  now  take  up  the  definition  of  idolatrj'^  given  by 


2 1 2  Let  There  Be  Light 

the  third  speaker.  He  asserts  that  believers  who  pos- 
tulate false  attributes  of  God  are  idolaters.  Here  it 
may  be  in  order  to  make  some  observations  on  the  sub- 
ject of  idolatry.  The  uncritical  will,  no  doubt,  be  un- 
favourably impressed  with  those  portions  of  the  Bible 
which  refer  to  idolatry  and  idolaters.  The  seemingly 
cruel  and  inhuman  treatment  of  idolaters,  as  narrated 
in  the  Bible,  will  be  likely  to  arouse  antagonism  to  the 
spirit  which  actuated  that  treatment.  Why  should 
such  cruelt}^  such  inhumanity,  be  hurled  against  inno- 
cent men,  women  and  children,  simply  because  they 
were  possessed  of  primitive  minds,  and  knew  no  better 
than  to  be  idolaters  ?  And  this,  too,  by  a  religion 
which  claimed  to  be  guided  by  a  just  and  merciful  God, 
by  a  religion  which  claimed  to  be  instituted  on  the 
highest  ethical  plane  ? 

The  answer  is  clear  ;  the  cause  of  this  treatment  of 
idolaters  was  centred  in  the  belief  that  idolatrj'  was  un- 
ethical, cruel  and  inhuman,  and  therefore  as  dangerous 
to  the  peace  and  welfare  of  human  existence  as  is  con- 
tact with  epidemic  diseases,  or  the  proximity  of  un- 
guarded wild  beasts  and  of  poisonous  serpents.  The 
conclusion,  therefore,  seemed  natural,  that  whenever 
this  dangerous  element  could  not  be  converted,  or 
turned  from  its  evil  course  toward  the  ethical,  it  should 
be  utterly  destroyed,  just  as  poisonous  serpents  or  wild 
beasts  are  destroyed. 

"  But,"  some  persons  may  say,  "  there  are  to-day 
idolaters  enough,  and  they  are  not  molested."  True  ; 
but  in  the  times  to  which  we  have  referred  it  was  only 
the  worst,  most  cruel,  and  most  brutal  types  against 
which  warfare  was  directed,  and  no  other  people  of  the 
world  developed  a  more  debased,  cruel,  and  brutal  type 
of  idolatry  than  did  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  Syria. 


Fourth  Summary  by  Ezra         213 

Were  the  idolatry  of  Baal  and  Moloch  to  be  re-estab- 
lished on  any  part  of  the  globe  to-day  as  it  existed  in 
Syria  at  the  time  we  speak  of,  there  would  soon  be 
aroused  a  spirit  of  hostility  toward  it  as  fully  pro- 
nounced as  that  in  the  days  of  old. 

Nor  must  we  conclude  that  modern  idolatry  is  less 
antagonistic  to  spiritual  and  social  progress  than  were 
the  ancient  idolatrous  systems.  While  modern  forms 
of  idolatry  may  not  display  that  active  and  offensive 
antagonism  which  the  ancient  Syrian  systems  showed, 
they  nevertheless  exert  a  most  powerful  deteriorating 
influence,  which  is  highly  detrimental  to  peace  and 
progress.  If  this  be  true,  it  must  necessarily  follow 
that  every  effort  should  be  made  to  convert  the  idolaters 
and  to  abolish  idolatry. 

And  right  here  it  is  proper  again  to  call  into  direct 
question  the  assertion  of  the  third  speaker.  He 
claimed  that  all  those  believers  who  postulated  false 
attributes  of  God  were  idolaters.  Let  us  examine 
this  statement  carefully  ;  for,  if  it  be  true,  it  will  lead 
to  an  important  conclusion. 

If  God  is  infinite,  His  attributes  must  likewise  be  in- 
finite. But  we,  who  are  finite,  can  have  no  adequate 
or  true  conception  of  the  infinite  ;  therefore  we  can 
have  no  true  or  adequate  conception  of  the  attributes 
of  God,  especially  of  such  as  are  put  forth  in  an  affirm- 
ative manner. 

If  our  belief  is  centred  in  God,  of  whom  we  postulate 
attributes  foreign  to  or  varying  from  the  truth,  are  we 
then  in  effect  addressing  ourselves  to  the  God  of  truth 
at  all  ?  And  if  we  are  not,  must  it  not  follow  that  such 
belief  is  idolatry,  and  that  such  believers  are  idolaters  ? 
It  certainly  must  so  follow.  Therefore,  as  we  can  have 
no  absolute  knowledge  of  the  infinite,  we  must,  in  order 


214  Let  There  Be  Light 

to  avoid  idolatry,  rigorously  abstain  from  postulating 
any  attributes  of  God  in  an  affirmative  manner. 

What  should  not  be  done  affirmatively  may,  however, 
be  done  in  a  negative  manner.  For  example,  instead 
of  saying  that  God  is  just  or  merciful,  we  should  say 
that  God  cannot  be  unjust  or  unmerciful.  That  this 
distinction  involves  a  most  important  truth  may  not  be 
evident  to  those  who  pass  it  over  without  serious  con- 
sideration. Only  after  it  has  thoroughly  impressed 
itself  on  the  mind  will  its  importance  be  recognised. 
Only  then  can  we  properly  understand  how  idolatry 
may  be  avoided. 

But  would  not  acceptance  of  this  proposition  leave 
the  Jew  without  his  Judaism,  the  Christian  without  his 
Christianity,  and  the  Mohammedan  without  his  Mo- 
hammedanism ?  Would  it  not  simply  destroy  Judaism, 
Christianity  and  Mohammedanism  ?  To  this  we  may 
reply  that  such  a  result  need  not  necessarily  follow  • 
for  the  operation  of  this  principle  would  only  remove 
from  each  of  these  religious  systems  an  idolatrous  fea- 
ture,—  a  feature  which  is,  without  a  doubt,  the  cause 
of  almost  all  the  political,  economic  and  social  evils  on 
the  earth.  We  ma}'  likewise  properly  assert  that  almost 
all  sorrow  and  suffering  in  the  world  came  through  be- 
lievers who  postulated  false  attributes  of  God. 

That  this  may  the  more  clearly  be  apprehended  as  a 
truth,  we  may,  as  an  illustration,  ask  "  What  beside 
design,  material,  tools  and  labour,  was  necessary  in  the 
construction  of  St.  Peter's  Church  at  Rome?  "  And 
the  answer  is,  "  The  plumb,  the  level,  the  square  and 
the  compass."  Without  these  essentials,  or  with  these 
in  an  imperfect  form,  there  could  have  been  no  St. 
Peter's  Church,  no  Capitol  building  at  Washington. 

Now  what  a  false  level,  a  false  plumb,  a  false  square 


Fourth  Summary  by  Ezra         215 

and  a  false  compass  are  in  building,  such  is  the  postu- 
lating of  false  attributes  of  God  in  religion,  with  its  re- 
flex action  on  the  social  structure.  By  attributing  a 
false  j  ustice  as  an  attribute  of  God,  the  Mohammedan 
vindicates  himself  in  a  line  of  conduct  which  embodies 
a  false  justice  toward  Christians,  Jews  and  pagans. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  the  conduct  observed  toward 
those  of  different  faiths  by  Christians,  Jews,  Buddhists, 
Brahmins,  and  by  adherents  to  all  other  religious  sys- 
tems that  have  ever  existed,  or  that  now  exist.  The 
same  may  be  said  of  the  false  justice  of  Mohammedan 
toward  Mohammedan,  of  Christian  toward  Christian, 
of  Jew  toward  Jew,  and  of  pagan  toward  pagan.  The 
world  is  still  idolatrous,  and  it  is  punished  for  its 
idolatry  by  pain,  sorrow,  poverty  and  premature  death. 
Such  is  the  fearful  and  terrible  penalty  for  postulating 
false  attributes  of  God. 

If  we  are  then  to  dismiss  from  our  minds  those  affirm- 
ative attributes  which  heredity  and  long  personal  ex- 
perience have  ingrained  in  our  consciousness,  will  not 
this  change  drive  God  out  of  our  minds  altogether,  will 
it  not  engender  atheism  ?  No;  that  should  not,  indeed 
cannot,  follow,  for  God  is  manifest  too  clearly  to  be  dis- 
missed from  the  human  mind.  The  laws  which  sur- 
round us,  unchanging  and  infinite,  we  know  are  here, 
ever  present  ;  we  know  and  feel  that  they  cannot  err. 
We  realise  that  they  cannot  be  partial  in  their  opera- 
tions ;  they  cannot  be  unjust;  they  cannot  be  set  aside. 
And  what  are  these  laws  but  the  manifestations,  the 
messengers,  the  agents,  of  God  ? 

And  is  it  not  our  chief  business  on  earth  to  study 
these  manifestations  ?  It  is,  indeed :  with  all  our  mind, 
with  all  our  soul  and  with  all  our  might.  This  law  of 
God,  so  manifested,   it  is,  then,  which  is  the  eternal 


2i6  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  Torah,"  the  eternal  law  which  the  Universal  Father 
gave  unto  all  of  His  children,  to  observe  and  to  follow. 
This  eternal  "  Torah,"  this  everlasting  Law,  we  can 
observe  and  study  in  the  plants,  in  the  rocks,  in  the 
waters,  in  the  air,  in  the  planets,  and  in  the  suns.  We 
can  decipher  this  sublime  God-given  Law  ip  astronomy, 
in  chemistry,  in  biology,  in  social  science,  in  physi- 
olog3%  in  psychology,  in  customs,  in  modes  of  conduct, 
and  in  every  kindred  department  of  knowledge  essen- 
tial to  human  progress,  interest  and  happiness. 

Happily,  the  time  has  now  at  last  arrived  when  we 
may  safely  enter  this  very  Second  Stage  in  the  evolu- 
tion of  Religion  ;  the  stage  of  experience  and  of  reason. 
Fortunately,  the  matter,  the  object,  the  subject,  the 
Bible,  for  this  new  stage  is  here.  It  is  in  the  earth,  in 
the  air,  in  the  water,  and  in  the  sky  —  everywhere. 

It  has  been  suggested  that  this  country  should  aim 
to  be  the  primary  field  for  the  development  of  this  evo- 
lutionary phase  of  religion  ;  and  the  suggestion  is  a 
proper  one.  If  Judea,  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  cruel, 
debased  idol-worshippers,  was  yet  able  to  evolve  the 
first  great  stage  of  religious  evolution,  how  much  more 
possible  will  it  be  for  this  country  to  evolve  the  second 
grand  stage  !  The  accomplishment  of  such  a  work 
would  indeed  fitly  supplement  this  nation's  material- 
isation of  its  initial  labours.  Our  country  has  already 
brought  man  near  to  Liberty;  let  it  now  bring  him 
near  to  God. 

This  work,  it  seems  then,  must  be  done  before  reforms 
in  government,  in  political  economy  and  in  social  science 
can  be  expected.  The  time  to  begin  is  now  ;  for  the 
dawn  of  the  Twentieth  Century  is  near  at  hand.  Let 
us  therefore  greet  this  new  work  with  that  joy  which 
should  usher  in  the  MESSIANIC  AGE,— the  epoch 


Fourth  Summary  by  Ezra        2 1 7 

when  all  humanity,  joined  hand  in  hand,  shall  see  in 
every  man  a  brother,  and  in  God  the  self-same  Father. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  remarks  by  Ezra,  Mr.  Moore 
arose  and  said  : 

Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen  :  I  have  Hstened 
with  astonishment  to  the  remarkable  conclusions  just 
presented  by  our  worthy  President.  I  wish  it  under- 
stood that  I  most  emphatically  dissent  from  his  views. 
He  has  seemingly  put  forward  a  scheme  of  rationalistic 
atheism  to  take  the  place  of  revealed  religion,  and  has 
clothed  his  theories  in  plausible  argument.  I  now 
ask  whether,  at  the  next  regular  meeting,  the  Presi- 
dent is  willing  to  enter  into  a  debate  with  me  on  the 
subject. 

Ezra  replied:  I  am  willing. 

Mr.  Valanti  then  arose  and  said:  I  would  amend 
Mr.  Moore's  request  by  suggesting  that  all  members 
who  desire  be  permitted  to  take  part  in  the  debate,  and 
this  amendment  I  now  put  in  the  form  of  a  motion. 

The  motion  was  seconded  and  carried,  and  the  meet- 
ing adjourned. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 


A 


MANIFEST  IN   DIVERS  WAYS 

FEW  days  later  I  received  the  following  letter 
from  my  uncle  : 


"  Phii<adei,phia,  April  23,  1899. 

'^'^  Dear  Joseph :  I  am  obliged  to  you  for  sending  me  the 
report  of  the  Twentieth  Century  Club's  meeting  of  last  Wednes- 
day night.  You  ask  for  my  comments,  and  I  make  the  fol- 
lowing : 

"  In  the  first  place,  there  appears  to  be  some  improvement  in 
style  over  the  previous  efforts  of  the  speakers,  and  in  this  re- 
spect they  show  the  results  of  their  experience.  Second,  the 
culture  of  the  men  seems  to  be  in  a  state  of  transition  ;  too  high 
for  ordinary  workingmen,  yet  not  high  enough  for  the  exalted 
theme  they  have  chosen  as  a  subject.  Third,  the  discussion  is 
on  the  whole  commonplace,  ending,  as  all  such  discussions 
usually  do,  in  no  tangible  results.  Each  of  the  speakers  seems 
to  have  defended  his  particular  religious  faith,  crying  down  all 
the  rest.  No  authority  is  quoted  by  any  of  the  speakers  to 
sustain  his  assertions,  and  no  general  conclusion  was  deduced 
from  the  whole. 

"  For  these  reasons,  I  fail  to  see  any  special  merit  in  the  dis-. 
cussion.  If,  however,  it  interests  you  so  far  as  to  lead  you  to 
make  more  extended  and  thorough  inquiry  for  yourself,  then 
has  it  served  you  to  good  purpose." 

"  I  do  not  think,"  Dorothy  said,  when  she  had  read 
this  letter,  "  that  Uncle  Harry's  criticism  is  final  and 

218 


Manifest  in  Divers  Ways  219 

conclusive.  I  think  he  read  the  report  too  hurriedly 
to  give  it  the  criticism  it  deserves.  He  says,  for  in- 
stance, that  no  general  conclusion  was  deduced  from 
the  whole.  I  am  sure  there  was  a  general  conclusion 
by  Ezra  ;  sufficiently  general  to  draw  out  from  Mr. 
Moore  the  challenge  for  a  debate.     Do  you  remember  ? ' ' 

"  Yes,"  I  replied;  "  but  Uncle  Harry  did  not  know 
of  that.  I  sent  him  only  the  report  of  Wednesday's 
meeting,  which  did  not  include  the  remarks  of  Ezra,  or 
the  challenge  for  the  debate. ' ' 

"  When  he  returns,  then,"  said  Dorothy,  "  he  will 
have  an  opportunity  to  read  Ezra's  reply,  and  his  opin- 
ion may  be  modified.  So  that  it  might  be  best  to  post- 
pone our  own  discussion  of  the  subject  until  he  can 
take  part  in  it." 

Accordingly  the  matter  was  thus  disposed  of  for  the 
time  being. 

The  following  Saturday  my  uncle  returned.  I  then 
repeated  to  him  the  substance  of  our  conversation,  and 
handed  him  the  additional  report  of  the  adjourned 
meeting. 

In  the  evening,  when  we  were  all  assembled  in  the 
library,  my  uncle  opened  the  subject  by  saying  :  "  This 
additional  report  corrects  one  criticism  made  in  my 
comments  to  Joseph.  I  now  see'that  there  was  a  gen- 
eral conclusion.  In  my  hurried  reading  of  the  report 
sent  me,  I  failed  to  observe  that  there  was  to  be  an  ad- 
journed meeting,  or  I  should  have  surmised  a  sum- 
mary." 

"  And  what  is  your  opinion  now,  Henry?  "  asked 
my  aunt. 

"  My  opinion,"  my  uncle  replied,  "  is  that  this  man 
Ezra  is  a  pronounced  crank." 

"  What  is  that  opinion  based  on  ?  "  said  Dorothy. 


2  20  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  On  bis  conclusion,"  answered  my  uncle. 

"  Would  you  mind  stating  the  foundations  of  your 
opinion  a  little  more  fully,  Uncle  Harry  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  Not  at  all.  The  fact  that  this  man  is  a  crank  is 
clearly  evident.  First  of  all,  surely  no  one,  not  even 
he  himself,  will  claim  or  can  claim  that  this  conclusion 
has  come  to  him  as  the  result  of  Revelation.  Revela- 
tion may  only  come  through  the  Elect,  the  chosen  of 
God.  But  will  anyone,  will  this  man  himself,  declare 
that  he  has  been  inspired  by  God  to  speak  what  he  did  ? 
And  even  if  he  should  so  proclaim,  who  would  be  fool- 
ish enough  to  believe  him  ?  Would  you  ?  Or  I  ?  Has 
not  the  day  of  special  revelation  passed  ?  Is  it  not, 
then,  great  impiety  for  a  mere  workingman,  in  our  day, 
to  imply,  even  indirectly,  that  God  has  given  him  a 
new  Revelation  ?  Is  it  not  impiety  ?  Is  it  not  an  ab- 
surdity ?  And  if  no  claim  of  Revelation  is  made  by 
him,  what  then  ?  Can  a  day-labourer  ev^olve  a  plan 
calculated  to  accomplish  what  has,  up  to  now,  been  im- 
possible of  accomplishment  ? 

' '  Does  not  a  stone  thrown  upward  fall  to  the  ground  ? 
Does  the  earth  fall  to  the  stone  ?  Let  some  Divine 
Power  cause  the  stone  to  become  heavier  and  larger 
than  the  earth,  and  the  earth  will  fall  to  the  stone. 
Shall  the  whole  world  of  scholars,  teachers  and  think- 
ers, therefore,  bend  the  knee  and  bow  the  head  to  the 
president  of  a  petty  workingman's  club  ?  Is  it  not 
more  in  harmony  with  the  order  of  things  that  this 
day-labourer  bow  his  head  and  bend  his  knee  to  his 
superiors, —  to  those  infinitel}'  higher  than  he,  or  I,  or 
all  of  us  ? 

' '  If  this  man  is  right,  was  not  Abraham  wrong  ?  If 
he  is  right,  what  becomes  of  the  teachings  of  Moses, 
David,  Isaiah,  Micah,   Jesus  and  Paul  ?     Is  not  the 


Manifest  in  Divers  Ways  221 

very  consideration  of  the  question  blasphemous  ?  Is 
it  not  a  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  I  am  not  sur- 
prised at  the  stand  of  Mr.  Moore,  for  had  I  been  pre- 
sent at  the  meeting,  I,  too,  should  have  felt  it  a  duty 
to  rebuke  this  Ezra  by  challenging  his  crude  asser- 
tions. ' ' 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  my  aunt  observed,  "  that  there  is 
some  merit  in  what  he  said  about  idolatry,  is  there 
not?" 

"  Well,  yes,"  said  my  uncle.  "  I  am  not  so  much 
opposed  to  his  statements  of  fact  as  I  am  opposed  to  his 
conclusions.  But  even  here  he  said  nothing  original. 
The  Protestant  churches  have  opposed  idolatry  right 
from  the  start.  The  very  name,  '  Protestant,'  means  a 
protest  against  Romanism,  and  Romanism  is,  as  you 
know,  synonymous  with  idolatry." 

"  How  is  that  ?  "  I  remarked.  "  Was  not  his  state- 
ment original  ?  He  seemed  to  call  all  existing  systems 
of  religion  idolatrous,  and  in  doing  so  he  must  have 
included  Protestantism." 

"  What  of  it  ?  "  replied  my  uncle.  "  Need  we  pay 
any  attention  to  what  a  crank  says  ?  ' ' 

' '  But  what  he  said  seemed  so  reasonable, ' '  persisted 
Dorothy. 

"  Reasonable  !  "  my  uncle  exclaimed.  "  How  do 
you  know  what  is  reasonable  in  religion  ?  If  professed 
theologians,  of  the  highest  standing,  find  it  almost  im- 
possible to  determine  just  what  is  reasonable  in  religion, 
how  is  it  possible  for  you  to  determine  ?  " 

"  I  am  sure,"  said  Dorothy,  thoughtfully,  "  that  I 
should  not  care  to  believe  in  an  unreasonable  religion." 

"  Who  asks  you  to  ?  "  my  uncle  answered. 

"  Your  attitude  hardl}'  seems  consistent,"  Dorothy 
remarked.     "  You  first  tell  me  that  theologians  of  the 


222  Let  There  Be  Light 

highest  standing  find  it  almost  impossible  to  determine 
what  is  reasonable  in  religion,  and  then  you  would 
have  me  believe  that  religion  is  reasonable.  If  learned 
theologians  cannot  tell,  how  can  you  tell  ?  " 

"  Because,"  my  uncle  replied,  "  I  believe  that  God, 
through  Revelation,  gave  us  a  reasonable  religion. 
But  God  did  not  stop  to  reason  the  matter  over  with 
us.  He  just  commanded,  and  it  is  our  duty  to  obey. 
We  must  take  what  He  said  on  faith,  and  believe  and 
act  without  doubt  or  question." 

"  I  fully  agree  with  Mr.  Morton,"  said  my  aunt. 
' '  God  did  not  reveal  to  us  a  system  of  philosophy.  He 
simply  gave  us  a  rule  of  conduct  and  a  faith." 

"  What  is  your  impression,  Uncle  Harry,"  asked 
Dorothy,  "  of  Ezra's  definition  of  inspiration  ?  " 

"  Oh,  well,"  said  my  uncle,  "it  is  all  right  in  its 
way,  but  it  is  by  no  means  original.  A  potato  dealer 
can,  of  course,  generalise  better  on  the  subject  of  po- 
tatoes than  a  paperhanger  can ;  we  all  know  that.  But 
it  does  not  necessarily  follow  that  a  potato  dealer  is 
therefore  any  nearer  spiritual  light  than  a  paperhanger 
is,  does  it  ?  " 

"  I  confess  that  the  whole  subject  is  far  from  clear  in 
my  mind,"  Dorothy  replied. 

"  Well,"  pursued  my  uncle,  "  which  would  be  your 
choice  ?  On  the  one  hand,  you  have  the  Bible,  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  my  opinion.  On  the 
other,  you  have  the  word  of  this  day-labourer,  this 
president  of  a  workingman's  club  ;  and  he  does  not 
even  quote  a  single  authority.  Now,  which  will  you 
take?" 

"  I  think,"  she  answered  slowly,  after  a  pause,  "  that 
I  should  choose  the  former." 

"  That  's  right  !  "    exclaimed   my   uncle,   heartily. 


Manifest  in  Divers  Ways  223 

"  Answered  just  as  I  expected  my  dear  Dorothy  to 
answer.  And  now,"  he  continued,  "  since  we  have 
settled  this  question,  tell  me  something  about  the 
charity  organisation  you  were  about  to  form  when  I 
left  the  city." 

"It  is  formed  at  last,"  Dorothy  replied,  "  and  the 
matter  is  in  definite  shape.  Aunt  Barbara  and  I  have 
busied  ourselves  about  it  during  the  past  few  days, 
and  we  had  intended  to  inform  you  to-night  of 
what  has  been  accomplished.  The  Committee  has 
organised,  with  Mr.  Fisher  as  chairman.  Miss  Seiner 
as  secretary,  and  Mrs.  Bradley  as  inspector,  and  I  am 
to  be  treasurer." 

"  But  I  thought  the  members  we  first  spoke  of  were 
to  constitute  the  Committee,  and  to  take  entire  charge 
of  work  and  money,"  I  said. 

' '  They  would  not  have  it  so, ' '  said  Dorothy  ;  ' '  and 
Aunt  Barbara  favoured  the  final  arrangement." 

"  Yes,"  added  my  aunt,  "  I  favoured  it  after  I  had 
heard  it  discussed.  In  substance,  the  Committee  did 
not  care  to  handle  so  large  a  sum  of  money,  —  a  sum 
larger  than  any  of  them  had  ever  before  had  at  their 
disposal.  Then  it  was  suggested  that  this  work  w^ould 
give  Dorothy  some  new  and  valuable  experience.  And 
the  members  of  the  Committee,  being  strangers  to  us, 
did  not  believe  that  we  were  justified  in  placing  so 
much  confidence  in  them.  They  seemed  to  think  that 
the  proposed  arrangement  would  be  the  one  most  satis- 
factory to  all. 

"  Mr.  Fisher  suggested,  also,  that  on  all  important 
cases  you  or  Joseph  be  consulted.  For  all  practical 
purposes,  however,  the  Committee  is  now  in  working 
order,  and  Dorothy  and  I  hav^e  already  turned  over  to 
the  treasury  our  several  contributions." 


2  24  Let  There  Be  Light 

I  went  to  my  desk,  drew  a  check  for  five  hundred 
dollars,  and  offered  it  to  Dorothy.  "  Here,  Mrs.  Treas- 
urer," said  I,  "  here  is  my  contribution.  Please  give 
me  your  acknowledgment." 

She  took  the  check.  "  This  is  your  receipt,"  she 
said,  as  she  imprinted  a  kiss  upon  my  cheek. 

"  There  is  one  point,"  observed  my  aunt,  "  that  has 
escaped  our  attention.  This  work  of  charity  is  to  be 
done  by  the  Committee  for  us  ;  but  no  compensation 
has  been  offered.  We  have  not  even  allowed  them 
anything  for  car-fare." 

"That  is  true,"  said  Dorothy.  "The  Committee 
should  be  seen,  and  the  omission  supplied." 

"  We  might  send  a  note  to  the  secretary,"  my  aunt 
suggested,  "  asking  her  to  call  here  Monday  afternoon. 
Then  we  can  talk  the  matter  over  with  her." 

"  I  will  write  to  her,"  said  Dorothy. 

My  uncle  arose,  went  to  his  desk  and  opened  it. 
"  I  am  inclined  to  think  well  of  this  scheme,"  he  said. 
"  I  like  the  conservative  tendency  of  these  people. 
And  I  see  no  objection  to  Dorothy's  being  treasurer, 
provided  the  fact  is  kept  secret.  It  will  giv^e  her  ex- 
perience, and  may  prove  a  safeguard  to  the  work  of  the 
Committee.  So  Fisher  wanted  me  to  pass  on  the  more 
difficult  cases,  did  he  ?  "  my  uncle  continued,  after  a 
moment's  pause,  as  he  seated  himself,  drew  out  his 
check-book,  and  began  to  write.  "  Well,  I  '11  think  it 
over.     Here  is  my  contribution,  Mrs.  Treasurer." 

On  Sunday  morning  Dorothy  and  I  went  to  church. 
The  minister  delivered  an  excellent  sermon,  taking 
his  text  from  ist  Corinthians  xii.,  verses  4  and  9.  I 
noticed  that  during  the  sermon  Dorothy  seemed  much 
interested.  After  the  conclusion  of  the  service,  as  we 
descended  the  church  steps  and  began  our  homeward 


Manifest  in  Divers  Ways         225 

walk,  she  repeated,  as  if  to  herself,  "  For  to  one  is  given 
by  the  spirit  the  word  of  wisdom  ;  to  another  the  word 
of  knowledge  b}^  the  same  spirit  ;  to  another  faith  by 
the  same  spirit  ;  to  another  the  gifts  of  healing  by  the 
same  spirit.  .  .  .  But  it  is  the  same  God  which 
worketh  all  in  all." 

"  That  was  the  text,  was  it  not  ?  "  said  I. 
"  A  portion  of  the  text,"  she  rephed,  "  and  it  has 
made  plain   to  me  what    was    before   obscured   and 
hidden." 

"  What  was  that  ?  " 

' '  I  will  tell  you.  You  may  remember  my  reply  to 
Uncle  Harry's  question  last  night.  Somehow,  I  could 
not  tell  why,  there  rose  within  me  then  a  spirit  of  rebel- 
lion and  dissent.  I  could  not  help  thinking  that  your 
uncle's  reasoning  bordered  on  sophistry  ;  yet  I  could 
not  tell  how  or  why.  The  arguments  he  used  were  not 
new  or  startling,  and  I  had  often  heard  them  before. 
In  fact,  you  and  I  have  heard  them  from  infancy,  in 
the  Sabbath-school,  in  the  home,  and  in  the  church  ; 
but  at  no  other  time  have  they  aroused  in  me  that  feel- 
ing— shall  I  call  it  antagonism  ? — which  was  produced 
last  night. 

"  After  you  all  left  the  room,  the  thought  came  to  me 
that,  in  answering  as  I  did,  I  had  done  violence  to  the 
spirit  of  fairness  and  justice.  As  I  was  writing  the 
letter  to  Miss  Seiner,  I  noticed  on  your  desk  the  report 
of  the  last  club  meeting.  I  read  over  Ezra's  remarks, 
and  they  made  a  powerful  impression  upon  me  ;  even 
more  powerful  than  they  had  made  at  the  meeting. 
Finding  Uncle  Harry's  letter  of  comment  pinned  to  the 
last  sheet,  I  read  it  again,  and  could  not  help  observing 
the  great  difference  in  the  impressions  produced  upon 
me  by  the  expressions  of  the  two  men.     The  words  of 


226  Let  There  Be  Light 

Ezra  seemed  to  find  a  natural,  normal  correspondence 
with  my  frame  of  mind. 

"  Uncle  Harry's  criticism,  however,  together  with 
his  language  of  last  night,  reminded  me  strongly  of  the 
reasoning  employed  by  the  Pharisees  when  they  argued 
against  Christ.  I  was  troubled  in  mind  ;  but  I  could 
not  exactly  fix  the  cause  of  my  trouble.  To-day's  text 
has  thrown  a  ray  of  light  on  the  matter,  for  the  Scrip- 
ture which  we  hav.e  just  heard  tells  us  plainly  that  God 
makes  Himself  manifest  to  us  in  divers  ways  :  to  some 
through  wisdom,  to  others  through  knowledge,  to 
others  through  the  gifts  of  healing,  and  yet  to  others 
through  faith.  What  if  the  spirit  manifests  itself  to 
Uncle  Harry  through  faith:  is  it  not  natural  for  him  to 
suppose  that  it  must  manifest  itself  to  me  in  the  same 
way  ?  But  I  see  clearly  that,  before  I  can  have  faith,  I 
must  first  have  that  perfect  confidence  which  will  pro- 
duce faith.  As  yet  there  is  something  lacking, —  I  am 
without  the  foundations  for  that  confidence.  How  can  I 
have  faith,  then?  While  Uncle  Harry's  arguments  seem 
invincible,  and  while  I  cannot  answer  them,  they  never- 
theless fail  to  bring  me  the  faith  I  so  much  desire.  To- 
day's text  and  the  words  of  the  minister  supply  the  rea- 
son. I  still  feel  that  I  have  not  yet  found  the  path  that 
will  lead  me  to  spiritual  rest  ;  but  I  perceive  there  must 
be  such  a  path,  and  this  knowledge  gives  me  hope." 

"  These  same  ideas  have,  in  some  vague  form,  passed 
through  my  own  mind,  Dorothy,"  I  replied.  "  I  can- 
not disapprove  of  your  dissent  from  last  night's  an- 
swer to  my  uncle,  for  our  first  duty  seems  to  me  to  be 
honesty  to  ourselves  ;  anything  else  must  dwarf  the 
soul  and  stunt  the  mind.  How  would  you  like  to  take 
up,  with  me,  the  study  of  faith,  and  to  continue  it  until 
we  are  able  to  reach  conclusions  that  satisfy  us  ?  " 


Manifest  in  Divers  Ways         227 

"  I  should  be  so  very  happy  to  do  so,  Joseph  !  "  an- 
swered Dorothy,  eagerly.  "  Nothing  would  give  me 
more  pleasure  than  for  both  of  us  to  take  up  that 
study." 

It  was  therefore  agreed  that  we  take  up  the  study  of 
religion  ;  and  for  this  purpose  we  set  aside  several 
hours  each  day. 


CHAPTER   XXXII 


THE    MESSIAH 


M 


Y  uncle's  business  aflfairs  still  demanded  his 
presence  in  Philadelphia,  and  it  seemed  likely 
that  he  would  be  detained  there  for  two  weeks  longer. 
He  accordingly  left  us  again  b}^  the  afternoon  train,  ac- 
companied by  my  aunt,  who  welcomed  the  opportunity 
of  visiting  her  friends  in  that  city. 

After  my  uncle  and  aunt  had  taken  their  departure, 
Dorothy  and  I  began  to  look  over  some  books  prepara- 
tory to  beginning  our  study  of  religion.  On  Monday 
afternoon  we  were  engaged  in  this  work  when  Miss 
Seiner  was  announced. 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  see  you,"  said  Dorothy,  as  Miss 
Seiner  entered  the  library,  "  and  I  hope  it  was  not  too 
much  trouble  for  you  to  call  to-day.  But  we  wanted  to 
arrange  for  some  compensation  to  the  Committee.  That 
matter  had  somehow  escaped  our  attention  hitherto." 

' '  Thank  you  very  much, ' '  replied  Miss  Seiner,  * '  but  I 
require  no  compensation,  nor  do  I  think  the  others  will; 
but  I  will  bring  your  offer  before  them,  if  you  desire." 

"  Do  so,  please,"  Dorothy  said. 

Miss  Seiner  rose  to  go.  "  You  seem  to  be  deep  in 
literary  research,"  said  she,  smiling. 

228 


The  Messiah  229 

"  Yes,"  Dorothy  answered,  "  my  husbaud  and  I  are 
about  to  begin  the  study  of  religion." 

"An  interesting  study,"  remarked  Miss  Seiner; 
"  in  fact  the  most  interesting  of  all  studies." 

' '  Have  you  given  much  time  to  it  ?  "  asked  Dorothy, 

' '  Yes, ' '  she  replied,  ' '  as  much  as  I  could  spare  from 
my  other  duties." 

"  Oh,  do  stay  a  while,"  said  Dorothy.  "  I  should 
so  like  to  have  your  assistance  in  outlining  our 
course  of  study." 

"  Let  me  join  in  my  wife's  request,"  I  added. 

Miss  Seiner,  thus  urged,  seated  herself  at  the  table, 
and  took  up,  one  by  one,  the  books  which  we  had  se- 
lected from  the  shelves.  ' '  You  seem  to  have  j  ust  about 
the  right  books,"  she  said,  "  You  should  have  a  con- 
cordance and  some  commentaries  ;  otherwise  you  have 
enough  for  the  present." 

"When  did  you  begin  this  study,  Miss  Seiner?" 
Dorothy  asked. 

"  I  hardly  remember.  My  parents  were  orthodox 
Jews,  and,  as  is  customar}^  we  took  up  the  stud}^  in 
early  childhood.  My  brother  Ezra  studied  the  com- 
mentaries at  thirteen  years  of  age." 

"  What  commentary  ?  "  inquired  Dorothy. 

"  It  was  in  Hebrew,  by  Maimonides." 

"  In  Hebrew?  A  boy  of  thirteen  ?"  Dorothy  ob- 
served in  surprise.  "  How  extraordinar}'  !  No  doubt 
your  own  studies  would  seem  to  me  equally  unusual. 
You  are  very  kind  to  allow  us  to  benefit  by  them.  Let 
me  begin  by  asking  a  question.  Do  you  believe  in  the 
Messiah  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Do  you  believe  that  He  has  come,  or  do  you  be- 
lieve that  He  is  yet  to  come  ?  ' ' 


230  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  I  believe  that  He  has  come,  and  that  He  will 
come  again." 

"  Oh,  then  you  are  a  Christian,"  remarked  Dorothy. 

"  No,"  replied  Miss  Seiner,  "  not  in  the  sense  in 
which  that  word  is  generally  used," 

"  Won't  you  explain  ?  "  said  Dorothy,  earnestly. 

"  Christians  believe,  as  I  understand,"  Miss  Seiner 
answered,  "  that  God  became  incarnate;  and  Jews, 
from  the  days  of  Abraham  to  the  present  day,  reject 
the  incarnation  theory." 

"  But  is  it  a  theory  ?  "  asked  Dorothy.  "  Is  n't  it  a 
fact?" 

' '  The  Jewish  people  reject  it  as  a  fact.  The  belief  in 
an  incarnate  god  has  prevailed  at  all  times,  and  among 
all  the  nations  of  the  world,  excepting  only  the  people 
of  Israel.  This  people  protested  against  that  belief,  and 
they  continue  to  protest  against  it  to  the  present  day." 

"Why?" 

"  Because  they  think  such  belief  is  idolatrous  ;  they 
believe  that  God  is  Spirit  without  form  ;  that  form  can 
no  more  be  God  than  a  photograph  of  a  person  can  be  a 
person." 

"  But,"  continued  Dorothy,  "  cannot  this  Spirit  take 
up  its  abode  in  a  human  form  ?  ' ' 

"  No,"  replied  Miss  Seiner;  "  we  Jews  do  not  think 
so.  Form  is  finite,  and  God  is  infinite.  We  believe 
that  God  is  the  only  entity,  and  that  all  other  things 
are  simply  form,  symbols  of  the  will  of  God." 

"  Still,  was  it  not  possible,"  Dorothy  persisted,  "  for 
a  part  of  the  Godhead  to  come  upon  earth,  and  take  on 
the  human  form  ?  " 

"  We  Jews  do  not  think  so,"  Miss  Seiner  answered. 
"  We  do  not  believe  that  God  is  divisible,  for  that 
would  make  Him  finite." 


The  Messiah  231 

"  But  was  it  not  necessary,"  pursued  Dorothy,  "  for 
God  to  suffer  death  in  order  to  make  atonement  for  the 
sin  of  Adam,  and  thus  to  open  a  path  of  salvation  for 
mankind  ?  " 

"  No,  we  Jews  do  not  believe  that  God  is  ruled  by 
necessity  ;  for  if  God  were  compelled  to  obey  a  law  of 
necessity,  it  would  make  the  law  of  necessity,  mightier 
than  God." 

' '  Then  what  do  the  Jews  believe  God  to  be  ?  "  asked 
Dorothy. 

"  They  believe  Him  to  be  purely  spiritual,"  replied 
Miss  Seiner  ;  "  infinite,  absolute,  unconditioned,  and 
incomprehensible  to  us  in  His  essence." 

"  If  He  is  incomprehensible,"  Dorothy  observed, 
"  how  can  you  say  that  He  is  infinite  or  absolute  or 
unconditioned  ?  " 

"  Because,  while  we  may  not  know  the  quality  of  His 
essence,  we  know  for  a  certainty  that  He  is  infinite  as  to 
time  and  space ;  for,  no  matter  how  hard  we  try,  we  can 
not  rid  our  minds  of  this  idea.  If  God  is,  therefore, 
infinite  as  to  time  and  space.  He  must  necessarily  be 
unconditioned,  therefore  absolute." 

"  Is  that  not  the  theory  of  some  of  the  modern  phi- 
losophers ?  "  Dorothy  asked. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Miss  Seiner,  "  and  of  many  poets 
and  writers  of  the  highest  rank  ;  but  it  was  the  con- 
ception of  God  held  by  the  Jewish  prophets  and  sages, 
and  has  so  come  down  to  us  to  the  present  day." 

"  What  you  tell  us  surprises  me,"  I  observed.  "  Do 
you  mean  to  say  that  this  highly  abstract  philosophy 
forms  the  basis  of  the  religion  of  the  Jews  ?  Do  the 
uneducated,  the  illiterate  among  you,  have  these  things 
taught  them  ?  " 

"  You  may  judge  for  yourself,"  she  said,     "  Allow 


232  Let  There  Be  Light 

me  to  take  a  sheet  of  paper,  and  I  will  write  down  two 
prayers  which  are  repeated  daily  by  about  ninety  per 
cent,  of  all  the  Jews  in  the  world." 

Going  to  my  desk,  at  my  suggestion,  she  seated  her- 
self, took  pen  and  paper,  and  wrote  rapidly  for  a  few 
moments.  Then,  rising,  she  said,  "  Here  is  one. 
While  you  read  it  I  will  write  the  other." 

Dorothy  took  the  paper,  read,  and  handed  it  to  me. 
It  was  as  follows  : 

"Let  the  living  God  be  magnified  and  praised  ;  he  exists, 
and  there  is  no  period  to  his  existence. 

"  He  is  unity,  and  there  is  no  unity  like  unto  his  unity ;  he 
is  concealed,  yea,  also  there  is  no  end  to  his  unity. 

"He  hath  no  bodily  likeness,  nor  is  he  corporeal  ;  bis  holi- 
ness is  incomputable. 

"  He  was  the  antecedent  to  every  thing  -which  was  created  ; 
he  is  the  first,  and  there  is  no  beginning  to  his  beginning. 

"  Behold,  he  is  the  Lord  of  the  Universe,  to  all  that  is  formed  ; 
shewing  his  magnificence  and  his  kingdom." 

"  Here  is  the  other  prayer,"  said  Miss  Seiner.  I 
took  the  paper  and  read  : 

"  Universal  Lord  !  who  the  sceptre  sway'd. 

Ere  creation's  first  wond'rous  form  was  framed  : 
When  by  his  will  divine,  all  things  were  made. 

Then  —  King,  Almighty,  was  his  name  proclaim'd  ! 
When  all  shall  cease,  and  this  world's  system  o'er. 

Then  He  tremendously  alone  will  reign  : 
Who  was,  who  is,  and  will  evermore 

In  most  refulgent  glory  still  remain 
Sole  God  !  unequall'd  and  beyond  compare, 

Without  division  or  associate  ; 
Without  commencing  date,  or  final  year  — 

Omnipotence  is  his,  and  regal  state. 
He  is  my  God,  my  living  Redeemer, 

My  shelt'ring  rock  in  a  distressed  hour  ; 
My  refuge,  my  standard,  and  protector, 


The  Messiah  233 

My  lot's  disposer  when  I  seek  his  power. 
Into  his  hands  my  spirit  I  consign, 

Whilst  wrapt  in  sleep,  and  when  again  I  wake  : 
And  with  my  spirit  my  body  I  resign  — 

The  Lord  's  with  me,  no  fears  my  soul  shall  shake." 

"  In  these  prayers,"  said  Dorothy,  "  there  seems  to 
be  a  strain  of  weirdness,  a  something  almost  uncanny. 
There  seems  to  be  a  sort  of  far-away  metaphysical, 
philosophical  repellancy  about  them.  The)"-  do  not 
seem  to  bring  me  nearly  as  close  to  God  as  do  the 
Christian  hymns.  They  seem  to  be  prayers  that  a 
Herbert  Spencer  might  have  written." 

"  Yet  this  very  same  strain  you  will  find  running 
through  the  poems  of  Wordsworth,  Browning,  Lowell, 
Bryant  and  Longfellow  ;  and  in  the  essays  of  Emer- 
son," Miss  Seiner  replied. 

"  Now,  to  come  back  to  a  former  subject,"  said 
Dorothy:  "  you  have  not  made  yourself  quite  clear  to 
me.  At  the  beginning  of  our  conversation  I  under- 
stood you  to  say  that  you  were  a  believer  in  the  Mes- 
siah, that  you  believed  He  had  come,  and  would  come 
again." 

"  You  are  right,"  answered  Miss  Seiner  ;  "  and  had 
not  the  conversation  turned  in  another  direction,  I 
should  have  told  you  what  I  meant.  Briefly,  then,  I 
do  not  interpret  the  word  Messiah  to  mean  ' '  God  in- 
carnate." I  interpret  it  as  meaning  "the  anointed 
one."  We  are  told  in  the  Bible  that  God  called  Cyrus, 
the  Persian,  a  Messiah,  because  he  liberated  the  Jewish 
people.  We  may  thus  infer  that  Messiah  means  any- 
one who  liberates  or  elevates  the  people." 

"  Well,  then,"  remarked  Dorothy,  "  if  that  is  a  true 
definition  of  the  word,  we  shall  be  obliged  to  say  that 
Luther  and  WyclifFe  and  Huss  were  Messiahs." 


234  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  And  so  they  were,"  Miss  Seiner  replied. 

"  And  if  they,  why  not  Washington,  Franklin, 
Jefferson  and  Lincoln  ?  " 

"They  also." 

"  And  if  they,  why  not  the  great  poets,  the  great 
writers,  the  great  artists,  and  the  great  inventors  ?  " 

"They  also." 

"  And  if  they,  why  not  Socrates,  Pythagoras,  Seneca, 
Epictetus,  Zoroaster,  Sakya-muni,  Confucius  and  Mo- 
hammed ?  ' ' 

"  They  also." 

"  And  Jesus  ?  "  asked  Dorothy. 

"  Yes,  Jesus,  and  Paul,  and  John  the  Baptist." 

"  Issucli  the  belief  of  the  Jewish  people  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"No,"  she  replied:  "only  of  some.  The  Jewish 
people,"  she  continued,  "  have  always  been  divided  on 
the  interpretation  of  the  Messianic  idea  ;  some  have 
thought  the  Messiah  was  to  come  as  a  conqueror,  to 
establish  at  Jerusalem  an  earthly  kingdom  of  superlative 
splendour  and  renown.  Others  believed  that  there  was 
to  be  no  personal  Messiah,  but  that  there  was  to  come 
a  Messianic  Age.  Others  again  believe  —  and  among 
these  are  my  brother  Ezra  and  I — that  those  are  Mes- 
siahs who  achieve  greatness  in  liberating  the  people, 
who,  by  their  power,  remove  error  and  bring  forth  a 
clearer  conception  of  truth." 

"  If  those  are  Messiahs,"  said  Dorothy,  "  then  why 
are  not  all  such  as  live  upright  lives  in  any  station  of 
life?" 

"They  are  Messiahs,"  replied  Miss  Seiner;  "for 
God  is  Harmony,  Justice,  Equit}^,  and  Love  ;  and  all 
who  imitate  Him,  who  copy  Him  after  this  fashion, 
are  His  chosen.  His  anointed,  His  elect,  and  His 
Messiahs," 


The  Messiah  235 

"  The  multiplication  of  such  Messiahs,  then,"  con- 
cluded Dorothy,  ' '  is  3'our  highest  conception  of  spirit- 
ual development,  is  it  not  ? ' ' 

"  Yes,  that  is  my  belief.  And  now,"  she  continued, 
rising,  "  it  is  high  time  for  me  to  be  going.  I  had  not 
intended  to  remain  so  long.  And,  bidding  us  ' '  good- 
afternoon,"  she  took  her  leave. 

"  What  is  your  impression,  Joseph  ?  "  asked  Dorothy, 
after  Miss  Seiner  had  left. 

"  I  can  hardly  tell,"  I  replied.  "  It  is  all  new  and 
strange  to  me.  I  think  that  we  would  better  go  on 
with  our  study  as  we  had  planned.  Perhaps  later  we 
may  be  better  able  to  form  an  opinion." 

"  Perhaps,"  said  Dorothy. 

We  continued  our  study  with  but  little  interrup- 
tion, and  soon  completed  a  somewhat  hasty  reading  of 
the  books  we  had  selected.  Having  then  reached  no 
conclusion  satisfactor}'  to  ourselves,  we  found  it  neces- 
sary to  retrace  our  steps,  and  to  reconsider,  more  criti- 
cally, what  we  had  read. 

We  were  still  deep  in  the  study  of  religion  when,  on 
Tuesday  morning,  May  i6th,  I  received  a  message  from 
Ezra.  He  informed  me  that,  in  view  of  the  prolonged 
discussion  which  would  be  likely  to  follow  the  debate, 
the  club  had  decided  to  postpone  its  meeting  until 
Saturday,  May  20th,  when  debate  would  begin  at  one 
P.M.,  and  discussion  terminate  at  six.  A  second,  or  ad- 
journed meeting  would  take  place  on  the  Sunday  fol- 
lowing, within  the  same  hours.  We  were  desired  to 
attend  on  both  occasions  ;  and  as  we  were  glad  of  the 
opportunity^  to  be  present,  I  so  notified  Ezra  in  reply. 

Accordingly,  on  Saturday  Dorothy  and  I  proceeded, 
at  the  appointed  time,  to  the  place  of  meeting. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 


THE   CHURCH   UNIVERSAL 


REPORT  of  debate,  The  Twentieth  Century  Club, 
New  York,  May   20,    1899.     Meeting  called  to 
order  at  i  p.m.,  all  members  present. 

Ezra  arose,  and,  having  called  the  meeting  to  order, 
said,  "  In  accordance  with  the  resolution  passed  at  the 
last  meeting,  the  usual  mode  of  procedure  will  be  dis- 
pensed with  to-day.  And  if  there  is  no  objection  we 
will  begin  the  debate  by  permitting  Mr.  Moore  to  pro- 
ceed." 

Moore. —  I  stated  at  the  last  meeting  that  the  presi- 
dent had  seemingly  advocated  a  scheme  of  rationalistic 
atheism.  I  wish  to  be  informed  if  I  am  correct  in  my 
inference. 

Ezra.  —  You  are  not. 

Moore. —  Did  you  not  advocate  the  worship  of  nature 
instead  of  the  worship  of  the  God  of  revelation  ? 

Ezra. — I  do  not  think  I  did.  At  all  events,  I  do  not 
do  so  now. 

Moore. — I  am  very  glad  to  hear  you  say  that,  for  I. 
was  under  the  impression  that  you  had. 

Fisher.  —  So  was  I. 

Quail. —  And  I. 

236 


The  Church  Universal  237 

Ezra. —  Will  Mr.  Moore  please  tell  me  why  he  had 
that  impression  ? 

Moore. — Certainly,  You  said,  ' '  The  time  has  at  last 
arrived  when  we  may  safely  enter  the  second  stage  in 
the  evolution  of  religion,  the  stage  of  experience. 
And,  fortunately,  the  matter,  the  object,  the  subject, 
the  Bible  for  this  new  field  is  here.  It  is  in  the  earth, 
in  the  air,  in  the  water  and  in  the  sky  —  everywhere." 
Is  not  all  this  nature  worship  ? 

Ezra. —  Do  you  draw  your  conclusion  from  these  re- 
marks alone,  or  from  all  I  said  ? 

Moore. —  Are  not  these  sufiicient  ? 

Ezra. —  By  no  means. 

Moore. —  Did  you  not  advocate  the  worship  of  nature 
in  the  place  of  revelation  ? 

Ezra. — As  you  have  a  full  report  of  what  I  said,  will 
you  please  indicate  the  language  in  which  I  advocated 
what  you  say  ? 

Moore. —  Is  it  not  plainly  enough  stated  in  what  I 
have  quoted  ? 

Ezra. — And  I  again  ask,  do  you  draw  your  conclu- 
sions from  those  remarks  alone,  or  from  all  I  said  ? 

Moore. — No,  not  from  those  remarks  alone,  but  from 
others,  for  you  likewise  said,  "  And  is  it  not  our  chief 
business  on  earth  to  study  these  manifestations  ? 
Surely,  and  with  all  our  mind,  with  all  our  soul,  and 
with  all  our  might.  This  it  is  which  is  the  eternal 
'  Torah,'  the  eternal  law,  which  the  Universal  Father 
gaV'C  unto  all  of  His  children,  to  observe  and  to  follow^ 
This  is  the  eternal  '  Torah,'  the  everlasting  L,aw%  which 
w^e  can  observ^e  and  stud}',  made  manifest  to  us  in  the 
plants,  in  the  rocks,  in  the  waters,  in  the  air,  in  the 
planets  and  in  the  suns.  We  can  decipher  the  God- 
given  Law  in  astronomy,  in  chemistry,  in  biology,  in 


238  Let  There  Be  Light 

social  science,  in  physiology,  in  psychology,  in  customs, 
in  modes  of  conduct,  and  in  every  other  department  of 
kindred  knowledge,  knowledge  essential  toward  human 
progress,  human  interest  and  human  happiness."  Is 
not  all  this  nature  worship  ? 

Ezra. —  It  is  not. 

Moore. —  What,  then,  did  you  advocate? 

Ezra. —  I  advocated,  and  advocate  now,  the  worship 
of  God. 

Moore. — I  should  be  glad  to  have  you  give  me  a  more 
specific  idea  of  what  is  involved  in  your  proposition  — 
an  outline,  for  instance,  of  the  form,  ceremonial,  church, 
holidays,  etc. 

Ezra. —  A  mere  outline  can,  of  course,  give  but  a 
feeble  comprehension  of  the  idea  ;  and,  in  a  debate  like 
this,  it  would  be  unfair  for  any  one  speaker  to  consume 
more  than  a  just  share  of  the  time. 

Bradley. —  I  think  that  under  the  circumstances  the 
president  should  be  given  all  the  time  he  may  require. 

Moore. —  I  agree. 

Ezra. — I  shall  try  to  be  as  brief  as  I  can.  Indeed,  I 
could  not  at  this  time  enter  into  minute  details  even  if 
I  desired,  as  these  things  are  not  yet  fixed  in  my  mind 
as  plainly  as  I  could  wish. 

To  begin  with,  under  this  system,  the  place  of  pub- 
lic worship  should  be  in  a  suitable  building,  con- 
structed about  as  follows  :  The  visible  foundation 
should  be  of  such  stones,  and  so  tiered,  as  to  repre- 
sent the  strata  of  the  earth,  showing  the  various 
geologic  periods.  The  dome  should  have  a  glass 
roof,  movable,  and  so  arranged  that  the  heavenly 
bodies  could  be  seen.  Great  lenses  and  telescopes 
and  other  scientific  apparatus  should  be  provided 
for  use  on  special  occasions.     Orreries,  movable  and 


The  Church  Universal  239 

stationary,  should  be  so  arranged  as  to  be  in  view  in 
front  of  the  worshippers. 

The  altar  should  be  quite  large,  as  large  as  the  stage 
of  a  theatre  ;  and,  on  certain  occasions,  should  be  ar- 
ranged like  a  stage,  with  scenery  and  appropriate 
objects.  On  this  stage  should  be  a  series  of  arches 
containing  slabs  of  stone  or  other  material,  on  each  of 
which  should  appear  the  name  of  some  world-renowned 
benefactor.  The  centre  arch  should  bear  the  names  of 
the  prophets  of  the  world  ;  among  whom,  for  instance, 
are  to  be  included  such  men  as  Moses,  Sakya-Muni, 
Buddha,  Isaiah,  Zoroaster,  Ezra,  Socrates,  Plato,  Con- 
fucius, Jesus,  Paul,  Micah,  Mohammed,  Augustine, 
Maimonides,  Ambrose,  Francis,  Savonarola,  Huss,  Wy- 
clifFe,  lyUther,  Calvin,  Knox,  Wesley,  Swedenborg, 
Fox  and  Channing. 

Other  arches  should  bear  the  names  of  the  world- 
renowned  artists,  the  men  of  science,  writers  and 
musicians ;  and  on  yet  another  should  appear  the 
names  of  eminent  teachers  of  social  science. 

In  front  of  the  speaker,  and  above  him,  is  to  be  .sus- 
pended a  cross  with  six  points,  each  point  terminating 
in  a  diml}'  burning  light,  to  indicate  that  space  cannot 
limit  God.  The  minister's  pulpit  is  to  be  a  hemi- 
sphere, symbolic  of  the  globe  or  the  globular  form. 
Behind  the  minister  are  to  be  seats  :  for  the  principal 
magistrates,  for  a  teacher  of  social  science,  an  archi- 
tect, a  musician,  a  scientist,  a  school  teacher  and  a 
physician.  At  one  end  is  to  be  a  seat  for  a  farmer,  at 
the  other  a  seat  for  a  labourer.  Each  of  the  chairs 
should  be  .S3'mbolical  in  construction,  and  appropriate. 

The  music  is  to  be  by  organ  and  orchestra,  and  the 
choir  is  to  be  composed  of  artists.  The  people  are  to 
join  in  prayer  and  in  singing. 


240  Let  There  Be  Light 

Above  the  arches  on  the  altar,  and  extending  out- 
ward in  a  semicircle,  is  to  be  an  illuminated  inscription 
reading,  "  My  House  vShall  be  a  House  of  Praj'er  for 
All  Nations."  A  similar  inscription  shall  likewise  be 
placed  in  front  of  the  building,  above  the  first  stor3^ 

The  interior  and  the  exterior  shall  be  decorated  with 
paintings  and  sculpture  representing  the  principal  his- 
toric events  in  the  world  —  all  in  relation  to  the  eleva- 
tion of  man. 

At  the  right  and  at  the  left  sides  of  the  minister 
shall  be  plants,  and  before  him  shall  be  a  glass  tube 
containing  water,  and  a  clod  of  earth. 

Arches,  similar  to  those  on  the  altar,  shall  be  on  the 
exterior.  Statues  of  those  persons  renowned  through- 
out the  world  in  religion,  in  the  sciences,  in  the  arts 
and  in  government  are  to  be  placed  in  the  interior  and 
on  the  exterior. 

The  building  is  to  be  called  The  Church  Uni- 
versal. 

On  every  festival  each  worshipper  is  to  wear  a  wreath 
on  his  or  her  head,  of  leaves  or  evergreens  in  winter, 
and  of  flowers  in  spring  and  summer. 

The  festivals  shall  be  as  follows  : 

The  first  day  of  each  week  ;  when  no  work  shall 
be  done  except  by  such  as  minister  to  the  wants  of 
those  who  observe  the  festivals  or  b}'^  such  as  officiate 
in  the  service  of  the  church.  These  shall  observe  the 
last  day  of  the  week,  and  shall  be  serv^ed  and  ministered 
unto  b}^  those  who  observe  the  festival  on  the  first  day. 

In  addition  there  shall  be  the  following  general 
festivals  : 

January  the  first  shall  be  the  Festival  of  New  Year. 
April  the  tenth  shall  be  the  Festival  of  Emancipation. 


The  Church  Universal  241 

May  the  first  shall  be  the  Festival  of  Flowers. 

September  the  tenth  shall  be  the  Festival  of  Harvest. 

October  the  fifteenth  shall  be  the  Day  of  Pardon  and  Atone- 
ment. 

November  the  twentieth  shall  be  the  Festival  of  the  Laws  of 
God. 

The  weekly  festivals  shall  be  as  follows  : 

''  First  week  in  January  shall  be  Earth  Day. 
Week  following  shall  be  Stone  Day. 
Third  week  shall  be  Water  Day. 
Fourth  shall  be  Chemistry  Day. 
First  week  in  February  shall  be  Science  Day. 
Second  week  in  February  shall  be  Invention  Day. 
Third  week  in  February  shall  be  Justice  Day. 
Fourth  week  in  February  shall  be  Architecture  Day. 
First  week  in  March  shall  be  Music  Day. 
Second  week  in  March  shall  be  Art  Day. 
Third  week  in  March  shall  be  the  Day  of  Writers. 
Fourth  week  in  March  shall  be  the  Day  of  Poets. 
First  week  in  April  shall  be  the  Day  of  Mathematics. 
Second  week  in  April  shall  be  Astronomy  Day. 
Third  week  in  April  shall  be  Religion  Day. 
Fourth  week  in  April  shall  be  Conduct  Day. 
First  week  in  May  shall  be  Praise  Day. 
Second  week  in  May  shall  be  Endeavour  Day. 
Third  week  in  May  shall  be  Honour  Day. 
Fourth  week  in  May  shall  be  Moses  Day. 
First  week  in  June  shall  be  Plant  Day. 
Second  week  in  June  shall  be  Day  of  Progress. 
Third  week  in  June  shall  be  Government  Day. 
Fourth  week  in  June  shall  be  Social  Science  Day. 
First  week  in  July  shall  be  Hygiene  Day. 
Second  week  in  July  shall  be  Day  of  Painters. 
Third  week  in  July  shall  be  Day  of  Sculptors. 
Fourth  week  in  July  shall  be  Prophets'  Day. 
First  week  in  August  shall  be  Day  of  the  Sages. 
Second  week  in  August  shall  be  Day  of  Benefactors. 


"5      , 


242  Let  There  Be  Light 

Third  week  in  Ausrust  shall  be  Metal  Day. 
Fourth  week  in  August  shall  be  Animal  Day. 
First  week  in  September  shall  be  Soul  Day. 
Second  week  in  September  shall  be  Liberty  Day. 
Third  week  in  September  shall  be  Wood  Day. 
Fourth  week  in  September  shall  be  Day  of  Paul. 
First  week  in  October  shall  be  Day  of  Isaiah. 
Second  week  in  October  shall  be  Emancipation  Day. 
Third  week  in  October  shall  be  Day  of  Patience. 
Fourth  week  in  October  shall  be  Day  of  Memorial. 
First  week  in  November  shall  be  Day  of  Confucius. 
Second  week  in  November  shall  be  Day  of  Thanksgiving. 
Third  week  in  November  shall  be  Day  of  Fishes. 
Fourth  week  in  November  shall  be  Day  of  Insects. 
First  week  in  December  shall  be  Day  of  Mercy. 
Second  week  in  December  shall  be  Bible  Day. 
Third  week  in  December  shall  be  Day  of  Jesus. 
Fourth  week  in  December  shall  be  Labour  Day. 


On  each  of  the  festivals  and  holy  days  there  shall 
likewise  be  appropriate  ceremonies  and  feasts  at  the 
houses  of  the  people  and  at  the  public  resorts,  accom- 
panied by  prayer  and  songs  of  thanksgiving. 

The  general  festivals  of  May,  July,  September,  and 
October  shall  likewise  be  field  days,  when  portions  of 
the  services  and  exercises  shall  be  out-doors  —  in  the 
parks,  in  the  fields  and  in  the  streets.  And  each  wor- 
shipper shall,  during  the  services  at  church  and  at 
home,  wear  on  the  head  a  garland  of  flowers  in  spring 
and  summer,  and  a  wreath  of  leaves  during  fall  and 
winter. 

Service  for  the  home  :  There  shall  be  a  short  prayer 
on  retiring,  and  on  arising  from  .sleep,  and  at  meals. 
Each  house  shall  have  an  altar,  on  which  shall  be  a 
clod  of  soil,  a  tube  of  water,  and  a  plant.  On  each 
festival,   during  the  principal  meal,    the  master  shall 


The  Church  Universal  243 

begin  by  blessing  bread  and  wine,  and  by  having  each 
of  those  assembled  at  table  partake  of  the  same. 

During  the  processions  of  the  people  on  the  occasions 
of  field  festivals  there  shall  be  borne,  in  front  of  the 
procession  and  at  regular  intervals,  earth,  water  and  a 
plant  ;  and  as  many  as  desire  may  carry  a  small  branch 
of  a  tree.  Each  company  marching  shall  bear  a  stand- 
ard. On  one  standard  shall  be  inscribed  "  The  Church 
Universal  "  ;  on  another,  "  My  House  shall  be  a  House 
of  Prayer  for  All  Nations  " ;  on  a  third,  "  God  Cannot 
be  Unjust  "  ;  on  a  fourth,  "  Emancipation  " ;  on  a  fifth, 
"  Education  ";  on  a  sixth,  "  Eiberty  ";  and  on  a  sev- 
enth, "  Social  Advancement." 

All  public  and  private  worship  shall  be  joyful  and 
soulful,  and  full  of  reverence  for  God  and  love  for 
mankind. 

I  have  now  finished  with  the  outline. 


CHAPTER   XXXIV 

THE    SPIRITUAL    DYNAMO 

Bradley. —  I  should  be  inclined  to  accept  this  new 
Church  Universal,  provided  the  physical  and  scientific 
features  were  eliminated. 

Fisher. —  And  I  should  be  inclined  to  accept  it  on 
condition  that  the  god -idea  be  eliminated. 

Moore. — And  I  reject  it  altogether  and  without  any 
reser\^ation. 

Fisher. — It  seems  to  me  that  our  worthy  president  is 
trying  to  play  the  role  of  a  second  Samson.  Of  old  his 
people  set  themselves  up  as  mighty  among  the  nations. 
But  their  strength  was  in  their  peculiar  superstitions 
and  in  the  stubbornness  with  which  they  defended 
them.  The  nations,  after  modifj-ing  and  amending 
these  superstitions,  adopted  them  ;  but  at  the  same 
time  relegated  this  people  to  a  subordinate  or  captive 
position,  lo,  these  nineteen  hundred  years.  Thus 
they  became  the  scorn  and  the  sport  of  all  men. 
But  mark  now  !  Like  Samson  in  prison,  this  captive 
descendant  of  the  despised  tribes  feels  keenly  his 
humiliation  ;  and  he  resolves,  as  did  Samson  when  his 
hair  had  grown,  to  grasp  with  right  and  left  hands  the 
great  pillars  of  the  predominating  temples,  and  with 
one  mighty  effort  to  hurl  them  to  the  ground. 

244 


The  Spiritual  Dynamo  245 

But  does  not  our  modern  Samson  fear  the  fall  of  the 
temples  and  the  destruction  of  the  modern  philistines  ? 
Will  his  eflfort,  if  successful,  not  destroy  Judaism  as 
well  as  Christianity  ?  Perhaps  he,  like  Samson  of  old, 
has  now  come  to  despise  his  former  fear,  and  resolves 
by  a  singular  act  of  vengeance  to  end  it  all. 

Well,  it  is  the  vengeance  of  a  Titan,  mighty  and 
worthy  to  end  a  career  so  eventful  as  that  of  the  Jewish 
people  ;  but  noble  it  is  not.  To  be  noble,  it  should 
destroy  completely  the  fateful  superstitions  one  and  all. 
It  should  destroy,  if  it  can,  not  the  superstitions  of 
Christianity  alone,  but  those  of  Judaism  likewise.  Is 
this  what  our  revived  Samson  proposes  ?  Oh,  no  ;  the 
cardinal  evil  remains  embodied  in  the  new  phoenix 
which  he  proposes  shall  arise  out  of  the  ashes  of  the 
destroyed  creeds,  and  I  fear  this  new  phoenix  more  than 
I  fear  the  creeds  we  now  have. 

Noah  and  his  ark,  Moses  and  the  retreating  sea, 
Joshua  and  the  sun,  Jonah  and  the  whale,  Jesus  with 
the  loaves  and  fishes,  the  rambling  nonsense  of  the 
Talmud,  the  exorcisms  by  the  apostles,  and  the  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  of  miracles  of  the  Christian  churches, 
—  all  these  are  here  ;  they  cannot  away.  Here  is  the 
all-suflBcient  trap  for  superstition,  from  which  there  is 
no  escape  but  in  a  gradual  and  certain  death,  quiet, 
unobserved  and  sure. 

And  now  conies  our  revived  Samson  to  destroy  of 
a  sudden.  But  is  that  all  ?  Oh,  no.  He  would  put 
in  place  what  ?  What  but  a  superstition  more  to  be 
dreaded  than  any  that  has  ever  yet  been  permitted  to 
establish  itself  on  earth  ! 

He  would  remove  Jonah  and  the  whale  and  give  us 
God  manifest  in  plants.  He  would  eliminate  Joshua 
and  the  sun  and   give   us   God   manifest  in   science. 


246  Let  There  Be  Light 

O  cunning  plan,  O  crafty  device,  O  scheme  of  devil 
incarnate  ; — was  any  such  ever  more  freighted  with  in- 
genious potencies  for  evil  than  is  this  seemingly 
humane  idea  ! 

Let  but  the  proposal  of  this  revived  Samson  take  root 
and  grow,  and  it  will  bind  the  human  race  in  a  slavery 
from  which  there  is  no  escape. 

O  descendants  of  the  fateful  tribes,  policemen  of  the 
gods,  have  not  your  days  on  earth  been  sufiBcient  ? 
Have  they  not  been  full  of  evil  and  sorrow  ?  When 
Isis  and  Osiris  died,  should  3^ou  not  also  have  died  ? 
But,  lingering  on,  when  Ormuzd  and  Ahriman  died, 
should  you  not  then  have  died  ?  Zeus,  and  the  hosts 
of  Olympus,  and  the  gods  of  Rome, — know  you  not 
that  they  are  among  the  dead,  lo,  these  many  years  ? 
Then  why  wander  you  around  wrapped  in  shrouds, 
among  the  living,  when  your  graves  gape  open  these 
many  centuries  to  receive  you  ?  Are  you  so  attached 
to  misfortune  that  you  love  it  more  than  the  peace  of 
oblivion  ?  And  now  in  dying,  in  stretching  out  your 
palsied  hands  toward  the  graves  that  have  waited  for 
you  so  long,  shall  your  last  act  on  earth  be  one  that 
will  forever  enslave  the  living  ?     Nature  forbid ! 

The  gods  shall  indeed  perish,  all  of  them,  but  not  at 
the  hand  of  a  mummy  shall  they  receive  their  death 
blow.  Science,  young,  strong,  powerful  and  wise  — 
Science  shall  destroy  them  and  shall  rule  in  their  stead, 
prince,  arbiter,  dictator,  and  sole  sovereign  forever. 

Moore. —  We  seem  in  this  debate  to  be  impelled  on 
the  lines  of  tangents  and  acute  angles.  We  started  to 
show  the  non-utility  of  science  in  religion,  and  the  last 
speaker  now  asserts  the  non-utility  of  God. 

What  has  this  boasted,  vaunted  science  done,  that  it 
deserves  the  high  rank  which  the  last  speaker  would 


The  Spiritual  Dynamo  247 

give  it?  Shall  we  bow  down  to  wash-blue,  to  stove 
polish,  to  the  tj^pe-setting  machine,  to  boilers  and  en- 
gines and  mowers,  and  pray  to  them  ?  Yet  these  are 
the  products,  the  manifestations,  of  what  we  call  science. 
Will  the  contemplation  of  these  incline  the  human  heart 
to  acts  of  benevolence,  to  charity  ?  Preposterous  even 
to  think  of  it! 

Does  science  to-day  indicate  the  beautiful  ?  On  the 
contrary,  it  teaches  that  what  we  call  harmony  is  but 
conventional  assent.  It  sees  no  more  intrinsic  beauty 
in  the  music  of  Beethoven,  Mendelssohn  or  Wagner 
than  in  the  discordant  noises  of  Digger  Indians. 

It  tells  us  that  there  is  no  abstract  aesthetics,  that 
there  is  no  more  real  beauty  in  the  classic  outlines  of  a 
Juno  than  in  the  form  of  a  savage  of  East  Africa. 
Beauty  of  outline,  harmony  of  sound,  the  exalted 
theme  of  rhetoric,  the  fragrance  of  sweet  odours,  the 
rich  blending  of  colours  and  the  graceful  veering  of  a 
curved  line  —  all  these  it  denominates  conventional, 
beautiful  or  ugly,  according  as  the  majority  may 
decide. 

If  science  has  so  little  respect  for  intrinsic  physical 
beauty,  it  has  even  less  respect  for  soul  beauty. 

If  it  condescends  to  postulate  justice,  that  justice  is 
of  the  cold  cause-and-effect  order  like  the  law  of  equi- 
librium. Mercy  and  charity  it  knows  nothing  of. 
Sympathy  and  love  are  not  in  its  catechism,  and  self- 
sacrifice  is  overlooked  by  it  in  silent  disdain. 

Ye  washerwomen,  ye  hod-carriers,  field  hands,  fac- 
tory operatives,  sailors,  come  ;  come,  all  ye  toiling 
masses,  and  stretch  forth  your  hands  and  pour  out 
your  hearts  to  this  new  genius.  Fall  down  before  this 
new  god,  this  sole  sovereign,  Science  !  Throw  away 
your  belief  in  the  loving  Heavenly  Father,  and  bow  in 


248  Let  There  Be  Light 

the  dust  before  the  men  who  invent  bicj'cles  and  type- 
writers and  automobiles.  Embrace  the  knees  of  the 
Spencers,  the  Huxleys,  the  Darwins,  the  Tyndalls, 
the  Haeckels  and  the  Biichners.  But,  strange  to  saj', 
not  one  among  the  worshippers  of  science  will  deign 
to  bend  the  knee  or  bow  the  head  —  no,  not  even  he 
whose  grandiloquent  praise  of  science  but  a  few  mo- 
ments ago  resounded  in  our  ears. 

Man  must  ever  pray,  must  ever  ask  for  strength  to 
do  the  right,  for  strength  to  avoid  the  evil.  Man  will 
ever  praj'  for  those  he  loves,  and  the  blessed  Redeemer 
even  enjoins  us  to  pray  for  those  that  hate  us.  And  do 
w^e  not  always  need  mercy  and  forgiveness  ?  Who  shall 
show  merc}',  who  shall  forgive  ?  Shall  it  be  the  makers 
of  trolley  cars  and  phonographs  ?  No,  none  of  these, 
so  long  as  man's  normal  and  proper  condition  is  sanity. 

God  has  ever  been,  God  is  and  God  shall  always  be  ; 
and  mankind  —  even  some  of  the  scientists  —  worship 
Him.  Why  should  they  not  ?  And  as  for  Jews,  our 
last  speaker  bids  them  to  die  ;  but  I  am  afraid  he  will 
be  disappointed,  as  those  were  disappointed  who  pra3'ed 
and  w^orked  so  zealously  for  this  people's  death.  We 
all  see  now  that  they  are  not  to  die.  They  are  to  come 
to  Christ  in  the  fulness  of  time.  Then  shall  Israel  in- 
deed rule  on,  in  Christ  and  through  Christ  and  forever. 
Do  we  not  see  evidences  of  this  in  the  new  awakening 
among  the  Jews  ?  Do  not  the  Reform  Jew's  now  speak 
in  high  reverence  of  Jesus  from  pulpits  in  which,  but  a 
few  years  ago,  they  did  not  even  dare  mention  His 
name  ?  Did  j^ou  not  notice  with  what  deep  reverence 
our  w^orthy  president  spoke  of  Him  ?  Did  he  not  even 
place  Him  in  the  highest  rank  in  his  proposed  new 
church,  on  a  par  with  the  most  exalted  and  revered  ? 
Is  not  this  a  good  omen  ? 


The  Spiritual  Dynamo  249 

And  now,  as  to  this  new  church,  this  new  union  of 
secular  science  with  sacred  religion,  is  it  not  absurd  ? 
Is  there  not  an  entire  absence  of  congruity  ?  As  well 
try  to  add  a  gallon  of  opportunity  to  a  gallon  of  water 
and  call  it  two  gallons.  There  can  be  no  union  of 
science  and  religion,  nor  need  there  be.  There  is  room 
for  both. 

Bradley. —  I  am  opposed  to  this  scheme.  I  can  see 
no  reason  or  sense  in  this  proposed  mingling  of  the 
physical  and  the  spiritual.  Spirit  bears  no  relation  to 
matter,  and  has  no  connection  with  it.  Spirit  is  im- 
material and  matter  is  material  ;  to  unite  them  in  relig- 
ion would  lower  Christianity  to  the  level  of  fetichism. 
And  would  this  remove  the  cause  of  evil  ?  Certainly  not. 

Our  evils  to-day  come  because  we  believe  that  God 
has  attributes  that  He  has  not.  The  Roman  Catholic, 
for  instance,  asserts  that  God  is  just  ;  but  in  the  same 
moment  he  will  not  hesitate  to  assert  that  Presbyterians 
and  Baptists  and  Jews  and  Unitarians  are  doomed  to 
eternal  damnation  because  they  are  not  Roman  Catho- 
lics. Now  Presbyterians  assert  the  very  same  thing 
concerning  all  who  are  not  Presbyterians.  And  all  the 
other  sects  and  religious  systems  are  likewise  unjust 
and  uncharitable. 

Clearl}^  if  all  these  assertions  were  true,  the  world 
would  be  consigned  to  an  eternity  of  superhuman  terror. 
These  assumptions  are  so  palpably  unjust  and  barbarous 
as  to  destroy  the  idea  of  justice  by  distorting  it.  What 
wonder,  then,  that,  as  a  result  of  this  distortion  of  truth, 
we  have  scepticism,  atheism  and  pessimism  ?  What 
wonder  that  we  have  injustice,  cruelty,  barbarism, 
selfishness  and  hypocris}'  ? 

To  broaden  the  vision,  to  deepen  the  course  of 
knowledge,  is  therefore  highly  desirable,  for  so  doing 


250  Let  There  Be  Light 

would  rapidl)'  tend  to  the  elimination  of  this,  which  we 
may  properly  call  the  major  evil.  But  to  emplo)'  the 
highly  complex  and  elaborate  symbolism  proposed  in 
the  plan  of  our  president,  would,  I  fear,  but  intensify 
the  evil. 

To  assume  for  the  things  of  the  earth,  the  waters, 
the  air  or  the  heavens,  the  highlj'  symbolic  connection 
or  relation  that  maj-  exist  between  them  and  God,  and 
to  worship  such  an  assumption,  w^ould  surely  tend  to 
open  many  thousand  new  avenues  of  dishonest  gain  for 
the  great  anu}^  of  the  rapacious  and  the  cunning. 
Mind  readers,  necromancers  and  science  healers  would 
again  flourish  in  vast  multitudes,  as  in  the  palmy  days 
of  paganism.  L,ong-haired  and  short-brained  feebleness 
would  again  come  to  the  front  and  pass  current  as  wis- 
dom, until  in  the  end  each  house  would  be  divided 
against  itself,  and  chaos  and  confusion  would  reign. 
Would  it  not  be  wiser  for  us  to  obey  the  injunction  and 
rather  "  bear  the  ills  w^e  have  than  fly  to  others  that 
we  know  not  of  "  ? 

Therefore  I  say  that  while  I  am  inclined  to  favour 
the  spread  of  scientific  knowledge  in  every  direction,  I 
am  emphatically  opposed  to  the  adoption  of  a  S5^stem 
which  would  mix  the  spiritual  and  the  material  into  a 
conglomerate  mass.  In  my  opinion,  such  a  mixing 
would  lead  to  anarchy,  in  belief  and  in  act. 

Quail. —  It  seems  to  me  that  we  have  veered  con- 
siderably from  the  original  intention  of  this  meeting. 
As  I  understand  it,  Mr.  Moore,  differing  radically  from 
the  president's  views,  challenged  him  to  debate.  But 
up  to  now  there  has  scarcely  been  any  debate  at  all.  I 
therefore  suggest  that  we  permit  Mr.  Moore  and  the 
president  to  continue  on  the  lines  of  our  original 
iutention. 


The  Spiritual  Dynamo  251 

Moore. —  I  think  the  suggestion  a  proper  one,  and  I 
will,  if  there  is  no  objection,  continue  to  the  end.  And 
if  the  president  does  not  object,  I  will  proceed  by  a 
series  of  questions  and  answers. 

Ezra. —  I  do  not  object. 

Moore. — Do  you  afl5rni  or  do  you  deny  the  conclusions 
of  Mr.  Bradley  ? 

Ezra. —  I  neither  affirm  nor  deny. 

Moore. —  Please  explain. 

Ezra. —  The  distortion  of  the  proposition  by  the 
selfish  or  the  weak  is  a  probability,  but  that  such 
would  occur  to  the  extent  he  predicts  may  be  safely 
denied. 

Moore. —  You  have  answered  the  question  only  par- 
tially.    Please  continue,  and  briefly  answer  the  whole. 

Ezra. —  This  I  cannot  do  so  briefly  as  I  should  like. 

Moore. —  You  may  take  whatever  time  you  require. 

Ezra. — Thank  you.  As  a  rule,  we  believe  we  know 
more  of  matter  than  of  mind  ;  but,  in  reality,  we  know 
nothing  of  matter  but  what  the  mind  tells  us.  It  is  the 
mind  that  tells  us  that  we  are  cokl,  or  hot,  or  hungry, 
or  that  fine  scenery  is  before  us,  or  that  good  music  is 
being  played.  Without  mind  we  should  have  no  con- 
ception of  matter  whatever.  Our  real  self,  the  ego, 
then,  seems  to  be  the  mind. 

Connected  with  this  mind,  this  ego,  is  a  vast  network 
of  what  we  may  term  tellers,  or  notifiers,  which  we  call 
nerves.  These  put  us  in  communication  with  ourselves 
and  with  the  outer  world. 

A  person,  then,  seems  to  be  a  dynamo  surrounded  by 
a  network  of  connecting  wires,  which  act  and  react  on 
one  another  from  within  to  without  and  from  without 
to  within. 

Through  the  medium  of  this  network  of  notifiers  or 


252  Let  There  Be  Light 

tellers,  we  are  enabled  to  inform  the  mind  of  what  is 
going  on  within  us  and  outside  of  us.  Whenever  these 
notifiers  or  tellers  are  but  feebly  developed  they  impait 
imperfect  information,  deceiving  and  misleading  the 
mind.  The  higher  the  development  of  the  notifiers  or 
tellers  the  more  correct  information  will  they  impart 
to  the  mind.  B}'  gradual  development,  the  tellers  or 
notifiers  impart  so  high  a  quality  of  information  as  to 
place  the  mind  in  harmony  with  another  and  infinitely 
greater  Dynamo  ;  and  this  greater  Dynamo  is  God. 

The  notifiers  or  tellers  of  the  mind  pursue  their  func- 
tions in  much  the  same  way  as  bees  fly  from  flower  to 
flower,  gather  material,  transform  it,  through  chemical 
changes  within  themselves,  into  honey,  and  finally 
deposit  it  in  the  hive.  And  as  an  imperfect  bee  must 
deposit  imperfect  hone}^  so  must  undeveloped  tellers  or 
notifiers  impart  imperfect  information.  Imperfect  infor- 
mation must  produce  an  imperfect  mind,  and  an  imper- 
fect mind  can  have  no  right  conception  of  the  Universal 
D3'namo  ;  therefore  must  have  an  incorrect  conception 
of  universal  harmony,  or  God.  Such  a  mind,  having 
an  incorrect  conception,  must  necessarily  be  of  a  low 
order,  therefore  cruel,  inhuman,  and  anti-social.  Such 
a  mind,  in  worship,  must  necessarily  be  idolatrous,  and 
its  belief  must  be  one  of  idolatry.  It  therefore  follows 
that  it  is  our  primar}'  duty  to  develop  to  the  highest 
degree  the  tellers  and  notifiers  ;  otherwise  there  can  be 
no  correct  conception  of  God.  With  the  end  in  view 
of  arriving  at  a  correct  conception  of  God,  I  have  offered 
this  plan  for  your  consideration. 

To  continue  :  If  God  is  the  great  Spiritual  Dynamo, 
the  laws  of  God  serve  to  connect  us  with  Him  just  as 
the  network  of  tellers  or  notifiers  within  us  connect  us 
with  the  mind.     Therefore,  beginning  with  God,  and 


The  Spiritual  Dynamo  253 

descending,  we  have  God,  His  laws,  the  nervous  system 
of  man,  and,  lastly,  man's  mind. 

Beginning  with  man,  and  ascending,  we  have,  first, 
the  mind  of  man,  then  the  nervous  system,  then  the 
laws  of  God,  and  finally  God. 

Accepting  what  has  here  been  said,  what  must  we 
further  accept  as  a  logical  conclusion  ?  This  :  that  we 
can  no  more  have  a  conception  of  God,  without  having 
a  conception  of  His  laws,  than  we  can  have  a  concep- 
tion of  our  mind  without  the  aid  of  our  nervous  system. 

If  this  conclusion  be  accepted,  what  must  follow  ? 
Must  we  not  admit  that  the  study  of  the  laws  of  God 
will  bring  us  nearer  to  God  ?  And  if  we  are  to  accept 
the  laws  as  God's  laws,  does  it  not  become  our  duty 
and  our  pleasure  to  study  them  ?  And  if  we  are  to 
study  them,  should  we  not  do  so  in  all  seriousness,  and 
with  due  spiritual  elevation  of  mind  ?  In  what  better 
place  and  at  what  better  time  can  this  be  done  than  at 
and  during  divine  service  and  as  a  part  of  it  ? 


^k 


\x^^^ 


CHAPTER   XXXV 


SACRED   AND   SECULAR 


Moore. —  Do  you  believe  in  the  Bible  ? 

Ezra. —  In  some  portions  of  it,  yes  ;  in  others,  no. 

Moore.—  I  mean,  of  course,  so  far  as  you  are  con- 
cerned, the  Old  Testament. 

Ezra.  —  There  are  some  things  in  the  Old,  and  some 
things  in  the  New  Testament  in  which  I  believe,  and 
some  in  which  I  do  not  believe. 

Moore. —  But  if  you  were  a  strict,  believing  Jew  ? 

Ezra. — Jews  were  never  commanded  to  believe  in 
the  Bible  ;  they  were  only  commanded  to  believe  in  God. 

Moore. —  Were  not  commands  giv^en  that  demand 
belief? 

Ezra. — Yes,  and  they  are  almost  altogether  confined 
to  rules  of  conduct,  to  rules  for  right  doing  or  righteous- 
ness. These  rules  are  almost  axiomatic  and  self-evident, 
appealing  to  our  reason  and  understanding. 

Moore. — Do  you  not  place  the  Bible  above  the  Koran, 
the  Vedas,  or  Shakespeare  ? 

Ezra. —  Yes,  but  only  those  portions  of  the  Bible 
which  are  grander  or  nobler  than  those  of  the  other 
books  you  name. 

Moore. —  Who  does  the  discriminating  for  you  ? 
254 


Sacred  and  Secular  255 

Ezra. — Every  Jew  who  cares  to  do  so  may  study  and 
decide  for  himself.  Orthodox  Jews  usually  attend  the 
"  Beth  Hamedrash,"  the  House  of  Learning,  and  there 
freely  enter  into  discussion  and  receive  or  give  opinions 
on  the  Scriptures  or  commentaries. 

Moore. — Can  you  show  me  any  authority  in  the  Bible 
under  which  Jews  or  Christians  are  permitted  to  adopt 
the  new  plan  of  worship  you  propose  ? 

Ezra. — Yes.  On  a  close  examination  of  the  most  in- 
spired portions  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  it  will 
be  clearl}'  seen  that  the  prophets  could  not  have  said 
what  they  did  —  could  not,  in  fact,  have  become  in- 
spired—  without  this  very  study. 

Moore. —  Is  not  the  Bible  sufficient  for  right  living 
here  and  for  eternal  salvation  hereafter  ? 

Ezra. —  By  no  means  ;  for,  as  we  have  seen  from 
what  has  been  said  in  previous  portions  of  the  debate 
and  at  the  last  meeting  on  this  subject,  limitations  that 
confine  belief  and  line  of  conduct  to  the  Bible  alone 
must  lead  to  idolatry  or  to  atheism.  And  now,  with  your 
permission,  I  should  like  to  ask  you  some  questions. 

Moore. —  You  maj^  ask. 

Ezra. —  Does  not  the  Bible  say  that  God  created  the 
heavens  and  the  earth  ? 

Moore. —  Yes. 

Ezra.  —  Does  not  the  Bible  also  say  that  after  each 
act  of  creation  "  God  saw  that  it  was  good  "  ? 

Moore. —  Yes. 

Ezra.  —  What  does  that  mean  ? 

Moore. — It  means  what  it  says,  that  the  works  of  God 
were  good  and  not  bad. 

Ezra. — "But  may  we  not  assume  here  that  the  good- 
ness in  creation  was  a  manifestation  of  the  wisdom  of 
God? 


256  Let  There  Be  Light 

Moore. — The  words  of  Scripture  are  plain  enough 
as  we  find  them,  and  I  see  no  necessity  for  admitting 
some  metaphysical  or  hidden  meaning  where  none  is 
intended. 

Ezra. —  There  is  no  intention  on  my  part  to  cause 
you  to  admit  anything  contrary  to  Scripture.  I  there- 
fore again  ask,  what  does  the  statement  after  the  acts 
of  creation  mean  :   "  And  God  saw  that  it  was  good  "  ? 

Moore. —  I  prefer  that  you  answer  that  question. 

Ezra. —  Very  well,  then,  I  will  do  so.  The  words, 
"  And  God  saw  that  it  was  good,"  mean  that  the  works 
of  God  corresponded  with  His  design  ;  do  they  not  ? 

Moore. —  Well,  yes,  it  would  seem  so. 

Ez?a. —  Furthermore,  we  read  in  Jeremiah  x.,  12, 
"  He  hath  established  the  world  by  his  wisdom,"  and 
in  Proverbs  iii.,  19,  we  read,  "  The  Lord  by  wisdom 
hath  founded  the  earth  ;  by  understanding  hath  he 
established  the  heavens,"  and  in  Psalms  civ.,  24,  we 
read,  "  O  Lord,  how  manifold  are  th}'  works  !  in 
wisdom  hast  thou  made  them  all."  May  we  not, 
therefore,  infer  from  all  this,  that  the  words  "  good  " 
and  "  wisdom"  have,  in  the  sen.se  in  which  they  are 
used,  the  same  meaning  ? 

Moore. —  Yes,  I  think  they  are  .so  used,  and  may  be 
so  undenstood. 

Ezra.  —  We  may  then  assert  that  Scripture  teaches 
that  God's  works  are  a  manifestation  of  God's  wisdom, 
maj'  we  not  ? 

Moore. —  Yes. 

Ezra.—  May  we  not  likewise  assert  that  by  the  dili- 
gent study  of  God's  works  we  should  obtain  a  clearer 
idea  of  God's  wisdom  than  bj^  neglect  of  this  study  ? 

Moore. —  I  think  that  also  may  be  admitted. 

Ezra. —  That  we  have  Scripture  warrant  for  such  an 


Sacred  and  Secular  257 

admission  is  evident  from  the  following  :  Proverbs  iv., 
7,  says,  "  Wisdom  is  the  principal  thing  ;  therefore  get 
wisdom  ";  and  Proverbs  iii.,  13,  says,  "  Happy  is  the 
man  that  findeth  wisdom,  and  the  man  that  getteth 
understanding."  Now  is  not  all  this  the  wisdom 
spoken  of,  the  wisdom  which  is  to  be  gained  through 
study  of  God's  laws,  through  study  of  God's  works  ? 

Moore. —  It  would  seem  so. 

Ezra. —  And  if  this  wisdom  is  to  be  obtained,  should 
the  opportunity  of  obtaining  it  be  limited  to  the  few, 
or  should  the  opportunity  be  widened  so  as  to  embrace 
the  largest  possible  number  ? 
•   Moore. —  The  largest  possible  number. 

Ezra. —  And  now,  in  view  of  all  these  admissions,  I 
ask  Mr.  Moore  to  tell  me  whether  he  is  still  opposed  to 
the  proposed  change  in  belief  and  mode  of  worship  ? 

Moore. —  I  am. 

Ezra. — Will  you  please  give  your  reasons  ? 

M'oo?r. — I  have  already  given  them  ;  but  in  order  not 
to  avoid  the  issue,  I  will  again  do  so  in  words  which 
may  be  diflFerent,  but  which  will  embody  the  same  idea. 

Briefly,  then,  I  recognise  the  utility  of  science,  and  I 
would  have  it  maintain  its  place  as  a  factor  in  progress. 
I  would,  however,  as  soon  introduce  a  carpenter  shop 
or  a  cigar  factory  into  a  church,  and  make  the  explana- 
tion of  them  a  part  of  divine  service,  as  introduce  earth, 
rock,  water,  plants,  acids,  and  scientific  instruments, 
and  make  them  a  part  of  divine  service. 

Besides,  as  the  president  has  himself  told  us  in  a 
former  meeting,  the  evolutionary  stages  in  religion  aie 
from  the  more  involved  symbolic  form  to  the  less  in- 
volved. And  is  it  not  evident  that  our  present  mode 
of  service  is  less  involved  than  is  the  one  proposed  ? 
Should  we  not,  therefore,  in  adopting  it,  go  downward 


258  Let  There  Be  Light 

from  the  higher  to  the  lower  form  ?  Is  this  in  accord 
with  the  genius  and  spirit  of  the  American  people  ?  Is 
it  not  just  the  opposite  ? 

Ezra. — I  think  it  can  be  shown  that  there  is  nothing 
in  this  proposed  plan  that  is  contrarj'  to  the  genius  and 
spirit  of  the  American  people.  On  the  contrary,  it  will, 
I  think,  be  clearly  shown  that  the  plan  is  in  entire  har- 
mony with  this  people's  grand  past,  and  with  its  still 
grander  future. 

First  of  all,  I  denj'  that  the  proposed  form  is  more 
symbolic  and  more  involved  than  that  now  in  vogue. 
It  seems  to  be,  but  it  will  be  clearl}'  shown  not  to  be. 

At  the  present  time,  those  eagei  questioners,  the 
young,  come  to  us  asking  ;  and  when  we  are  unable  to 
answer,  we  are  forced  to  say,  "  That  is  a  mystery." 
Is  not  this  symbolism  ?  It  certainly  is,  and  of  a  most 
unsatisfactory  kind.  As  well  feed  a  work  horse  on 
bran  as  an  intelligent  child  with  the  constant  "  That  is 
a  mystery."  No  w'onder  that  in  time,  as  the  child 
grows  older,  it  begins  to  suspect  that  "  mystery  "  means 
"  ignorance  "  or  "  deception  "  or  "  error." 

Now,  under  the  proposed  change,  let  this  same  child 
ask  questions  ;  let  it  ask,  "  What  is  God  ?  "  Then  let 
the  minister,  parent  or  teacher  show  the  child  a  plant, 
and  say,  "  God  is  made  manifest  to  us  through  His 
works.  Study  this  plant,  ask  it  questions,  and  in  time 
you  will  find  the  answer." 

Moore. — With  a  desire  to  show  perfect  consideration, 
and  in  a  spirit  of  kindliness,  I  am  constrained  to  say  to 
our  w^orthy  president  that  in  my  opinion  he  is  labouring 
under  an  hallucination.  He  seems  to  think  that  by  the 
abolition  of  the  church,  and  by  the  substitution  of  a  sort 
of  dime  nuiseum  show,  he  will  change  human  nature. 

By  this  wonderful  change  he  proposes  to  tell  a  child 


Sacred  and  Secular  259 

what  God  is.  By  it  he  propo.ses  to  change  the  flint- 
hearted  employer  into  a  philanthropist.  Through  this 
new  dime  museum  church  he  proposes  to  elevate  the 
world,  to  abolish  poverty,  and  to  supply  an  ever-flowing 
fountain  of  happiness  for  one  and  all.  O  tried  and 
trusted  conuiion  sense,  guide  and  director,  where  art 
thou  ? 

Ezra. — Of  the  sense  that  is  common  there  is  a  plenty ; 
much  more  than  we  should  have  and  would  have,  were 
the  avenues  of  the  understanding  opened  out.  The 
sense  that  is  common  is  dark  indeed.  It  toils  on  stu- 
pidly, stolidly  bearing  grievances,  humiliations  and 
burdens  like  the  ox  and  the  ass,  with  no  power  to 
escape  the  curse  of  its  animal  nature,  which  binds  it  to 
the  earth,  a  thing,  a  tool,  a  helot  and  a  sudra.  Is  this 
result  brought  about  through  man's  obedience  to  God's 
law,  or  through  his  disregard  of  God's  law  ?  How  can 
it  be  through  obedience,  when  we  see  clearly  that  it  is 
the  effect  of  ignorance  ?  And  again,  whenever  oppor- 
tunity for  education  is  offered  and  made  use  of,  is  there 
not  a  change  ?  Does  not  the  former  rustic,  the  former 
boor,  through  education,  learn  to  think,  learn  to  gen- 
eralise, learn  to  become  a  free  man  ? 

Moore. — Does  not  our  public  school  system  permit  all 
this? 

Ezra. —  No,  it  does  not.  An  elementary  education 
does  not  put  the  mass  on  a  par  in  development  with  the 
few  whose  privilege  it  has  been  to  attend  college  and 
university. 

Moore. —  But  would  you  have  hod-carriers,  chamber- 
maids, and  dish-washers  attend  college  and  the  uni- 
versity ? 

Ezra. — And  why  not  ?  Are  they  not  God's  children, 
as  are  the  few  favoured  ones  ? 


26o  Let  There  Be  Light 

Moore. —  Are  you  speaking  of  socialism,  or  of  some 
new  Utopia  ? 

Ezra. — No,  I  am  speaking  of  conditions  as  they  are. 
I  realise  as  clearly  as  you  do  that  those  persons  you 
mention  cannot  afford  to  go  to  college,  but  that  fact 
need  not  prevent  them  from  learning  what  they  should. 
There  would  be  ample  opportunity  to  obtain  this  edu- 
cation under  the  proposed  change  in  the  church. 

Moore. — But  of  what  practical  utility  would  all  this  be? 

Ezra. — Of  the  highest  possible  practical  utility,  for  it 
would  in  time  transform  the  masses  from  animals  into 
intelligent  men  and  women. 

Moore. —  Having  been  thus  transformed,  would  they 
still  be  content  to  be  menials  and  servants  ? 

Ezra. —  No,  they  would  climb  higher. 

Moore. —  Who  would  take  their  places  ? 

Ezra. —  The  lower. 

Moore. —  And  if  they  also  climbed  higher  ? 

Ezra. —  Then  in  the  end  this  labour  would  be  better 
done,  better  compensated,  and  would  take  on  a  much 
less  degraded  form. 

So  as  not  to  be  misunderstood,  I  desire,  with  your 
permission,  to  draw  your  attention  to  my  opening  re- 
marks in  the  review  of  the  last  meeting.  I  refer  to  the 
remarks  on  intuition  and  inspiration. 

It  was  then  stated  that  what  we  call  intuition  or  in- 
spiration is  the  result  of  generalisation  on  many  single 
points  of  experience. 

This  inspiration,  this  intuition,  it  is,  which  has  de- 
veloped and  civilised,  which  has  made  us  heirs  to  many 
ten  thousand  blessings.  And  yet  all  these  blessings 
came  about  through  the  inspiration  of  the  few,  mainly 
the  privileged  few.  Now  is  it  not  reasonable  to  sup- 
pose that  these  blessings  will  multiply  greatly  as  we 


Sacred  and  Secular  261 

make  it  possible  for  the  many,  for  the  masses,  for  the 
millions,  to  enter  this  heretofore  narrow,  limited  and 
privileged  field  ? 

Moore. —  Yes,  that  conclusion  seems  plausible  ;  but 
the  education  3'ou  propose  need  not  necessarily  be  given 
in  church.  It  can  be  acquired  in  secular  night  schools, 
or  through  museums  and  libraries.  These  are  secular 
institutions  ;  a  church  is  sacred. 

Ezra. —  Please  give  me  definitions  of  "  secular  "  and 
"  sacred." 

Moore. — "  Secular  "  means  every-day,  earthly  work  ; 
"sacred"  means  holy  themes  related  to  God  and  to 
Heaven. 

Ezra. — And  this  earth,  was  it  made  by  God  ? 

Moore. —  It  was. 

Ezra. —  Did  not  God  pronounce  this  earth  good  ? 

Moore. —  He  did. 

Ezra. —  Does  not  that  make  this  earth  sacred  ? 

Moore. —  It  would  seem  so. 

Ezra. —  Is  it  not  in  reality  a  heavenly  body,  as  much 
so  as  the  moon,  Saturn,  Mercur}',  the  sun  or  other  suns  ? 

Moore. —  It  so  appears  to  me. 

Ezra. —  If  the  earth  is  sacred,  where,  then,  is  the 
secular  ? 

Moore. —  Shovelling  dirt,  paying  a  check,  or  taking 
care  of  a  baby  is  secular  work  ;  but  church  or  divine 
service  is  sacred.     Is  it  not  so  ? 

Ezra. —  No,  for  shovelling  dirt  is  a  duty, —  a  duty  to 
ourselves,  or  a  duty  in  return  for  compensation  from 
others.  This  task,  when  conscientiously  performed, 
becomes  sacred,  a  sacred  duty.  All  other  work  what- 
soever of  a  like  nature  is  equallj^  sacred.  The  onlj^ 
secular  work,  therefore,  is  performed  when  we  break 
God's  law,  when  we  sin. 


262  Let  There  Be  Light 

Moore. —  Would  you  then  also  call  the  kindergarten, 
the  public  school  and  the  university  sacred  ? 

Ezra. — Most  decidedl}^,  yes;  and  when  once  the  evils 
of  dogmatic  theology  are  abolished  it  will  then  be  proper 
to  teach  God's  laws  in  every  educational  institution  in 
the  land  and  in  the  world. 

Moore. —  Do  you  class  spelling,  reading,  arithmetic, 
writing  and  grammar  as  sacred  studies  ? 

Ezra. —  I  do;  for,  as  I  said  before,  the  only  secular 
work  is  sin. 

Moore. —  What  about  objects?  Are  all  objects,  in 
your  opinion,  sacred  ? 

Ezra. — Yes,  all  objects  excepting  those  that  cause  us 
to  break  God's  law. 

Moore. —  Is  earth,  then,  sacred  ? 

Ezra. —  Why  is  it  not  ?  Do  not  the  particles  which 
compose  it  perform  God's  law  ? 

Moore. —  Is  God  .sacred  ? 

Ezra. —  Yes. 

Moore. — Then  see  to  what  a  base  conclusion  this 
brings  us.     Is  not  this  sacrilege  ? 

Ezra. — No,  it  is  not  sacrilege,  though  it  .seems  such. 
God  is  sacred  in  the  highest.  His  manifestations.  His 
work,  His  laws,  are  infinitely  inferior  in  degree  of 
sacredness,  and  thus,  while  they  do  not  demand  our 
prayers,  they  demand  our  reverent  contemplation. 

Moore. —  But  is  not  this  nature  worship,  idolatry  ? 

Ezra.— No,  not  so  long  as  we  address  all  our  prayers 
to  God  alone,  and  contemplate  His  work.  His  laws,  as 
a  means  of  bringing  us  nearer  to  Him. 

Bradley. —  As  the  time  for  adjournment  is  near  at 
hand,  I  move  that  the  debate  close  for  to-day,  and  that 
it  be  continued  to-morrow. 

The  motion  prevailed,  and  the  meeting  adjourned. 


CHAPTER   XXXVI 


THE    PROOF   OF    GOD 


REPORT  of  an  adjourned  meeting  of  the  Twentieth 
Century  Club,  New  York,  May  21,   1899,  1  p.m 
Ezra  arose  and  said  :    "  The  adjourned  meeting  will 
now  come  to  order." 

Quail.— 1  move  that,  for  the  time  being,  all  members 
be  permitted  to  engage  in  the  debate. 
Bradley.— \  second  the  motion. 
The  motion  was  carried. 

Fisher.— ^^h\\^  I  am  heartily  in  favour  of  the  pro- 
posed change  in  the  education  for  the  masses,  and  of 
the  abolition  of  the  churches,  I  am  opposed  to  this 
dragging  in,  by  head  and  heels,  of  the  now  exploded 
god-idea. 

Will  this  proposed  change  of  the  god-idea  in  educa- 
tion change  the  natures  of  the  millionaire  employers  ? 
Will  It  cause  the  great  monopolists  to  divide  their  fat 
dividends  with  their  toilers  ? 

Will  it  cause  the  dealers  in  stocks  to  give  the  masses 
mside  pointers  just  for  philanthropy's  sake?  Will  it 
cause  the  land-owners  to  reduce  voluntarily  the  rent 
of  the  tenement-house  dwellers  ?  Yes,  when  the  Czar 
joins  the  anarchists;  when  capitalists  become  socialists- 


264  Let  There  Be  Light 

when  the  leopard  changes  his  spots,  and  when  the  gorilla 
teaches  astronomy.  The  sooner  the  masses  learn  to 
understand  the  value  of  force  in  organisation,  and  the 
sooner  they  know  how  to  wield  this  force  in  its  most 
effective  way,  the  sooner  will  they  receive  what  they 
are  entitled  to.  Education  in  itself  is  not  sufficient,  for 
there  are  many  universit}^  graduates  in  subordinate 
and  menial  positions.     Is  not  this  true  ? 

Ezra. — It  is  true,  but  that  does  not  prove  your  asser- 
tions to  be  founded  on  facts. 

Fisher. —  Why  not,  pray  ? 

Ezra.  —  The  university  graduates  that  hold  subordi- 
nate or  menial  positions  hold  those  positions  because 
they  do  not  know  how  to  utilise  their  education.  They 
neglect  to  generalise  ;  or,  if  they  generalise,  they  do  so 
incorrectly. 

If  they  have  been  taught  economics,  for  instance,  and 
are  familiar  with  the  laws  governing  international  pro- 
duction and  its  effects  on  demand  and  on  price-fluctua- 
tion, they  may  soon  become  valuable  product  factors  or 
stock  brokers.  If  they  have  been  taught  chemistry 
properly,  and  have  generalised  correctly  on  their 
knowledge,  their  services  will  soon  be  of  high  value  to 
the  manufacturer  or  the  publisher  ;  and  so  throughout 
the  whole  list  of  studies. 

Heterogeneous  items  of  knowledge  stored  in  the 
mind  without  generalisation  are  like  a  mass  of  accumu- 
lated money  buried  in  an  inaccessible  place,  of  which 
the  owner  is  prevented  from  using  the  interest  or 
principal. 

And  as  to  your  statement  that  the  proposed  change 
in  belief  would  have  no  effect  on  the  millionaires,  this, 
too,  can  be  called  into  question. 

Millionaires,   like   other   factors  in   the   world,  are 


The  Proof  of  God  265 

subject  to  the  laws  of  condition  and  of  environment.  If 
these  millionaires  employ  an  unthinking  mass  of  men 
and  women,  they  will  so  ply  them  as  to  squeeze  out  the 
utmost  advantage  to  themselves,  regardless  of  an}^  dis- 
advantage that  may  be  to  the  workers.  Nor  will 
the  fear  of  insubordination,  coercion  or  rebellious 
force  on  the  part  of  ignorant  workers  deter  the  million- 
aire from  following  out  the  course  of  advantage  open 
to  him. 

As  soon,  however,  as  the  workers  shall  have  ascended 
in  the  scale  of  intelligence,  there  will  necessarily  follow 
a  change  in  the  environment.  This  change  will  ma- 
terially affect  the  conditions,  will  raise  the  status  of  the 
workers,  and  will  ultimately  benefit  all. 

That  this  proposition  is  true  may  be  clearly  seen 
in  the  world's  wage  rate.  It  is  highest  in  the  United 
States,  descending  in  about  these  several  stages  :  Eng- 
land, Germany,  France,  Austria,  Italy,  Spain,  Russia, 
Turkey,  India,  China,  the  peons  of  South  America,  and 
the  negroes  of  East  Africa. 

If  the  intelligence  of  the  peoples  named  should  be  re- 
versed, the  wage  rate  would  change  correspondingly. 
This  law  it  is,  then,  which  represents  the  real  sover- 
eignty, the  real  majesty,  of  a  people,  and  which  clearly 
proves  that  God  blesses  most  that  people  highest  in  the 
scale  of  intelligence. 

Fisher. —  Suppose,  for  instance,  that  what  you  say  is 
true,  and  suppose,  further,  that  this  higher  intelligence 
is  attained,  will  not  such  increased  measure  of  pros- 
perity so  crowd  the  earth  with  increased  population  as 
again  to  force  the  masses  into  slavery  ? 

Ezra. —  I  do  not  think  so,  for  it  seems  to  be  the  law 
that  the  ratio  of  increase  in  population  declines  per- 
ceptibly as  general  intelligence  advances. 


266  Let  There  Be  Light 

Fisher. — But  of  what  use  would  this  increased  intelli- 
gence be  in  a  world  where  the  avenues  and  opportunities 
are  so  entirely  monopolised  as  now  ? 

Ezra. —  With  the  advance  of  general  intelligence, 
modifications  will  follow  which  will  materially  change 
the  factors  of  opportunity  and  monopoly. 

Fisher. —  Through  socialism  ? 

Ezra. —  Perhaps  through  that  partly,  and  partly 
through  competition. 

Fisher. — How  through  competition  ? 

Ezra. — Increased  intelligence,  spurred  on  by  compe- 
tition, will  in  the  end  so  bring  to  light  the  now  hidden 
laws  as  to  give  the  world  one  of  its  chief  and  ultimate 
blessings.  This  blessing  will  be  free  motive  power. 
Whether  this  will  be  in  the  form  of  compressed  or  ex- 
panded air,  in  the  expansion  of  water,  in  the  utilisa- 
tion of  tides,  in  the  storage  of  the  power  in  the  trade 
winds,  in  the  utilisation  of  the  electrical  forces,  or  in 
all  these  combined,  or  in  some  new  force  not  yet  dis- 
covered, cannot  at  this  time  be  discerned  with  certainty. 
Judging  by  the  discoveries  of  the  nineteenth  century, 
there  is  sufficient  indication  that  it  will  all  end  in  the 
free  production  and  free  distribution  of  motive  power. 

And  when  this  result  shall  have  been  brought  about, 
it  will  produce  the  most  wonderful  and  potent  changes 
the  world  has  ever  witnessed.  It  will  permit  the  sys- 
tematic removal  from  off  the  whole  face  of  the  habitable 
world,  of  rock,  boulder,  sand  and  unfruitful  soil,  which, 
pulverised  and  blended,  can  be  deposited  again  in  deep 
layers,  so  that  fruitful  soil  will  be  everywhere.  It  will 
utilise  the  billions  of  tons  of  food-producing  manures  by 
placing  them  on  the  fields  of  the  world,  instead  of  per- 
mitting them,  as  at  present,  to  pollute  and  poison  the 
air  we  breathe  and  the  water  we  drink. 


The  Proof  of  God  267 

Free  power  will  level  the  mountains,  raise  the  de- 
pressions, span  the  chasms,  drain  the  swamps,  supply 
moisture  to  the  thirsty  earth,  and  make  level  the  path- 
way in  ever}'  direction. 

Fisher. —  So  far  as  the  proposed  religious  reform  is 
concerned,  does  it  not  rest  on  the  fundamental  doctrine 
of  monotheism  ? 

Ezra. —  It  does. 

Fisher. — But  if  monotheism  can  be  proven  untenable, 
\i  it  can  be  proven  of  no  value  in  fact,  would  not  that 
proof  destroy  your  conclusion  ? 

Ezra. —  It  would. 

Fisher. —  I  now  challenge  your  proof,  and  a.sk  that 
you  present  it. 

Ezra. — My  proof  of  God  is  in  the  laws  of  God,  made 
manifest  in  all  creation. 

Fisher. —  What  if  I  deny  creation  ? 

Ezra. —  Do  you  deny  that  your  hand  now  rests  on  a 
table  ? 

Fisher. — No. 

Ezra. — Is  not  the  table  wood  ? 

Fisher. — Yes. 

Ezra. —  Did  not  the  wood  grow  ?  Was  it  not  con- 
tained in  a  growing  tree  ? 

Fisher.  — Yes. 

Ezra. — Then  when  it  grew  it  obeyed  the  law  of  God 
iu  growing,  as  this  table  now  obeys  God's  law  of  gravi- 
tation. 

Fisher. — Do  you  believe  there  is  a  table  ? 

Ezra. — Yes. 

Fisher. — Do  you  believe  there  is  a  God  ? 

Ezra.  — Yes. 

Fisher. — There  are  two  things,  then,  in  the  universe, 
—  God  and  the  table.     How,  then,  can  God  be  one  ? 


268  Let  There  Be  Light 

Ezra. —  There  was  a  time  when  the  table  was  not 
here,  and  when  the  tree  was  not  here,  yet  God  was 
here. 

Fisher. — But  were  not  that  table,  and  the  tree  from 
which  it  came,  potentially  present  in  the  world  before 
the  plant  took  form  and  grew  ? 

Ezra. — If  they  w^ere  potentially  present  in  the  world, 
and  if  the  world  possessed  wisdom,  idea  and  will,  and 
if  the  world,  combining  these,  brought  forth  the  tree, 
then  was  it  a  god. 

Fisher. — Why,  then,  is  not  the  earth  God  ? 

Ezra. —  Because  there  are  more  earths,  larger  than 
this. 

Fisher. — Why  are  not  these  larger  earths  gods  ? 

Ezra. — Because  the  suns  are  still  larger. 

Fisher. — Why  are  the  suns  not  gods  ? 

Ezra. — Because  the  laws  w^hich  control  and  gov^ern 
them  are  greater  than  they. 

Fisher. — Wh)'  are  these  laws,  then,  not  God  ? 

Ezra. —  Because  laws  are  means  and  agencies,  and 
not  a  person. 

Fisher. —  Describe  to  me  the  personality  of  God. 
Does  He  sit  ?  Does  He  stand  ?  Does  He  walk  ? 
Does  He  fly  ? 

Ezra. — No  finite  being  can  describe  the  infinite  God; 
but  this  much  we  may  know  for  a  certainty,  that  the 
infinite  God  has  no  necessity  of  doing  the  things  you 
mention. 

Fisher. — Where  does  He  live  ? 

Ezra. — In  the  Universe. 

Fisher. — Is  He  the  Universe  ? 

Ezra. — He  is  the  cnl}'  entity  in  the  Universe. 

Fisher. — Are  not  you,  I,  this  table,  entities  ? 

Ezra.—^o. 


The  Proof  of  God  269 

Fisher. — What,  then  ? 

Ezra. — Non-entities,  manifestations,  phenomena. 

Fisher. — Then  God  alone  exists  ;  but  how  comes  it 
that  you  and  I  are  here,  that  this  table  is  here,  and  that 
the  earth  is  here  ? 

Ezra. — These  things  are  here  so  long  as  God  permits 
it.  Were  He  to  remove  His  agents,  the  laws,  these 
objects  would  no  longer  exist. 

Fisher. — No,  not  in  this  form,  but  perhaps  in  some 
other. 

Ezra. — No,  not  in  any  form;  for  to  admit  that  matter 
is  eternal  is  to  admit  that  matter  is  a  condition  of  God, 
or  a  co-partner  in  Being.  There  would  then  be  two 
entities,  God  and  matter,  and  Gud  then  would  no 
longer  be  one. 

Fisher. — But  what  harm  if  there  were  two,  three,  a 
dozen,  or  a  thousand  gods  ? 

Ezra. — More  than  one  God  would  limit  all  the  gods 
by  conditions,  and  thus  render  them  finite  ;  and  con- 
ditioned, finite  gods  cannot  control  or  govern  an  in- 
finite universe.     Therefore,  there  can  be  only  one  God. 

Fisher. — Do  you  believe  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul? 

Ezra. — Yes. 

Fisher. — Why  do  you  believe  in  it  ? 

Ezra. — Because  spiritual  life  is  entity,  and  entity  is 
immortality.  The  existence  of  phenomena  in  terms  of 
absolute  existence  is  absolute  non-existence. 

Fisher. — This  table,  not  being  absolute  non-existence, 
has,  therefore,  an  immortal  soul  ? 

Ezra.  No,  the  table  has  no  soul  at  all  ;  it  is  simply 
a  manifestation  of  law,  a  phenomenon. 

Fisher. —  And  these  immortal  souls, —  tell  us  some- 
thing about  them.  Do  they  preserve  their  identity,  or 
do  they  all  enter  God  as  drops  of  water  enter  the  ocean  ? 


270  Let  There  Be  Light 

Ezra. — I  am  unable  to  tell  you  this. 

Moore. — Would  not  the  abolition  of  the  Church  as  it 
is,  and  the  substitution  of  the  plan  set  forth,  lower  re- 
ligion to  the  lev-el  of  science  ? 

Ezra. —  No,  it  would  not  lower,  it  would  elevate. 
It  would  not  only  elevate  science  to  the  level  of  religion, 
but  it  would  elevate  religion  to  a  much  higher  level 
than  it  has  now  reached. 

Moore. —  Of  what  value  is  science  in  teaching  such 
doctrines  as  punishment  for  sin,  forgiveness  and  justi- 
fication through  faith  ? 

Ezra. — I  will  try  to  answer  you  presently,  but  at  this 
time  I  should  be  glad  to  have  you  tell  me  what  you  be- 
lieve science  to  be  ? 

Moore. — I  think  that  science  is  the  final  result  of  ex- 
periment, experience,  comparison  and  generalisation. 

Ezra. — You  have  answered  concisely,  and,  I  think, 
correctly.  And  now  please  tell  me  whether  you  can 
point  out  a  better  way  of  arriving  at  the  truth  than  by 
this  process. 

Moore. — Yes,  in  matters  of  religion  inspiration  is  far 
better  and  vSurer. 

Ezra. — Why  ? 

Moore. —  Because  the  senses  of  man  are  feeble  and 
untrustworthy.  The  most  gifted  and  best-trained  often 
err  ;  much  more  may  this  be  said  of  those  not  gifted 
or  not  specially  trained. 

Ezra. — What  do  you  believe  inspiration  to  be  ? 

Moore. —  Spiritual  truths  which  God  imparted  to 
certain  men. 

Ezra. — How  were  these  truths  imparted  ? 

Moore. —  Does  not  the  Bible  tell  us?  Does  it  not 
state  that  God  spoke  to  the  inspired  men  in  dreams, 
through  messengers  or  by  voice. 


The  Proof  of  God  271 

Fisher. — If  anyone  had  represented  himself  to  be  in- 
spired, would  his  representation  have  been  sufficient  ? 

Mooj'e. — That  would  have  depended  on  his  proof. 

Fisher. — If  the  proof  had  been  acceptable  ? 

Moore. — It  would  then  have  been  received  as  suf- 
ficient. 

Fisher. —  Supposing  that  after  having  given  proof 
some  one  had  announced  that  he  had  been  directed  to 
order  all  men  to  dress  in  an  embroidered  petticoat,  and 
all  women  to  wear  a  red  soldier-cap,  and  all  people  to 
dance  a  polka  morning  and  evening,  and  to  eat  garlic 
three  times  a  day. 

Moore. — That  would  have  been  considered  nonsense. 

Fisher. — Why  ? 

Moore. — Because  it  does  not  follow  the  ethical,  moral 
or  aesthetic  trend  of  inspiration,  nor  would  it  meet  the 
needs  of  the  people. 

Ezra. — In  deciding  what  was  inspiration,  did  not  the 
people  compare  their  experiences  with  what  was  repre- 
sented to  them  as  inspiration  ?  Did  they  not,  through 
generalisation,  intuitively  conclude  to  accept  some 
things  and  to  reject  others  ? 

Moore. — So  it  would  seem, 

Ezra. — It  would  also  seem,  then,  that  the  mode  of 
acceptance  of  Scripture  inspiration  in  no  wise  differed 
from  the  mode  of  acceptance  of  facts  established  through 
scientific  research. 

Moore. — Such  seems  to  be  the  case. 

Ezra. —  Science  and  inspiration  are,  therefore,  of 
equal  authorit}'  in  questions  of  punishment  for  sin,  for- 
giveness and  justification  through  faith,  are  they  not  ? 

Moore. — B}'  no  means. 

Ezra. — Why  not  ? 

Moore. — Because    inspiration    never  errs,    and    the 


2  72  Let  There  Be  Light 

conclusions  of  science  have  undergone  many  and  radi- 
cal changes. 

Ezra. — Is  the  entire  Bible  inspired,  or  are  only  parts 
of  it  inspired  ? 

Moore. —  We  are  taught  that  the  entire  Bible  is  in- 
spired. 

Ezra. — Do  you  believe  the  Prodigal  Son  was  a  real 
person  ? 

Moore.  —No,  I  believe  that  the  story  of  the  Prodigal 
Son  was  told  as  a  parable,  to  set  forth  a  truth. 

Ezra. — Do  you  believe  that  Jonah  lived  in  a  fish  for 
three  days  ? 

Moore. — Do  not  the  orthodox  Jews  believe  that  ? 

Ezra. — Very  few,  and  those  among  the  most  ignorant. 
At  all  events,  there  is  no  commandment  in  the  Bible 
that  demands  belief  in  this  story  as  a  literal  fact. 

Moore. — What,  then,  was  the  purpose  of  having  it  in 
the  Bible  ? 

Ezra. — The  purpose  was  precisely  the  same  as  in  the 
case  of  the  story  of  the  Prodigal  Son.     It  is  a  parable. 

Moore. — A  parable  ?     Wherein  is  its  application  ? 

Ezra. — Here  :  Jonah,  the  Prophet,  is  Israel,  whom 
God  chose  as  a  missionary  among  the  nations.  Israel 
tried  hard  to  run  away  from  his  mission,  and,  as  a  pun- 
ishment, was  cast  into  the  depths  of  misery.  The 
captive,  spewed  out  among  the  heathen,  at  last  fulfilled 
his  task  by  delivering  his  message. 

Moore. — Are  all  other  portions  of  the  Bible  parables  ? 

Ezra. — Almost  all  those  portions  that  contain  super- 
natural elements.  In  fact,  the  Bible  may  be  divided 
into  four  divisions  :  First,  self-evident  inspired  truths  ; 
second,  history  ;  third,  traditions  ;  fourth,  parables. 

Moore. — How  are  we  then  to  distinguish  the  various 
divisions  in  order  to  avoid  confusion  ? 


The  Proof  of  God  273 

Ezra. — Fortunately,  the  principal  and  highest  ideas 
are  self-evident,  and  sufficient  in  themselves  without 
any  need  of  illustration  by  historical  facts,  by  tradition, 
or  by  parable.  Among  these  are  the  following:  "lyove 
thy  neighbour  as  thyself,"  "  Forgive,  if  you  would  be 
forgiven,"  "  Righteousness  exalteth  a  nation,"  "Ye 
shall  have  the  same  law  for  the  native  and  for  the 
stranger,"  etc.  But  many  truths  are  obscured,  and 
cannot  be  discerned  with  certainty. 

Moore. — Why  should  that  be  ? 

Ezra. — Because,  first,  the  Hebrew  alphabet,  until 
within  recent  times,  had  no  letters  or  signs  to  designate 
vowels  ;  second,  because  in  ancient  times  certain  words 
in  the  Hebrew  language  had  meanings  that  have  not 
been  transmitted  to  us  ;  third,  because  there  exist  no 
grammar  and  dictionary  of  the  ancient  Hebrew 
language. 

Moore. — How  may  we  know  what  portion  of  the  Bible 
should  be  accepted  as  positive  fact  and  doctrine,  and 
what  portion  is  parable  ? 

Ezra. —  It  is  safe  to  accept  only  that  portion  which 
treats  of  ideas  known  to  be  in  harmony  with  universal 
law, — that  which  is  represented  in  a  form  so  convincing 
to  our  understanding  that  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  deny 
it.  To  believe  less  is  to  be  an  infidel  to  truth  ;  to  be- 
lieve more  is  idolatry. 

Moore. — This  would  undermine  all  belief  in  the  Bible. 

Ezra. — By  no  means  ;  on  the  contrary,  it  establishes 
belief  in  the  inspiration  of  the  Bible  on  a  firmer  basis 
than  ever. 

Moore. — You  seem  to  be  juggling  with  words. 

Ezra.  A  little  patience,  and  you  will  clearly  see  that 
I  am  not.  The  historical  and  traditional  portions  are 
inserted  in  the  Bible  as  a  means  for  an  end  ;  so  are  the 


274  Let  There  Be  Light 

parable  portions.  What  is  that  end  ?  If  we  consider 
the  Bible  from  the  beginning  to  the  end,  the  Old  Testa- 
ment and  the  New,  we  find  that  it  inculcates  right 
doing,  or  righteousness  toward  our  fellow-man.  It 
also  clearly  teaches  that  God  is  our  Father,  and  that 
we  should  love  Him  with  all  our  mind,  with  all  our 
soul  and  with  all  our  might.  This  is  commanded  ; 
but  no  command  is  given  to  believe  in  a  parable  or  in 
a  supernatural  story, 

Fisher. — What  about  Noah  and  his  ark,  the  crossing 
of  the  Red  Sea  dry-shod,  etc.  ? 

Ezra. — These  are  traditions,  and  are  of  the  same 
order  as  the  traditions  of  all  other  primitive  peoples, 

Moore. — Should  they  be  rejected  ? 

Ezra. — They  need  not  be  rejected,  nor  need  they  be 
accepted. 

They  should  be  looked  upon  simply  as  objects  of 
study  in  archaeology,  A  young  child  may  present  a 
graceful  appearance  in  short  clothes  and  curls  ;  an 
adult  would  be  deemed  insane  who  should  walk  the 
streets  so  dressed.  But  an  adult  must  nevertheless 
wear  garments,  and  those  most  suitable  are  the  kind 
in  vogue.  So  we  in  our  day  should  appear  ridiculous 
if  we  clothed  our  minds  with  primitive  traditions.  Our 
intellectual  garments  should  be  the  knowledge  current 
to-day,  useful  and  desirable  for  us. 


CHAPTER   XXXVII 


WHAT   GOD   IS 


Fisher. — Tell  me,  is  not  God  supernatural  ? 

Moore. — To  me  He  seems  so.  What  is  your  opinion, 
Mr.  President  ? 

Ezra. — I  am  unable  to  explain  what  God  is.  What- 
ever we  know  of  God  we  know  through  God's  laws  ; 
and  we  see  that  these  laws  operate  in  a  uniformly  con- 
stant and  consistent  manner. 

Moore. —  But  is  not  God  almighty?  Can  He  not 
ordain,  change,  modify  and  justify  ? 

Ezra. — As  long  as  we  are  finite,  we  can  never  know 
what  God  is. 

Fisher. — Then  how  do  you  know  there  is  a  God  ? 

Ezra. — Because  He  is  made  manifest  to  us  through 
His  works. 

Fisher. —  Do  not  these  works  by  their  perpetually 
self-acting  operation,  the  ceaseless  ebb  and  flow  of 
effects  of  prior  causes,  —  do  not  all  these  do  away  with 
any  necessity  for  a  God  ? 

Ezra. — Oil  the  contrary  ;  for  all  things  that  we  call 
matter  or  force  are  but  phenomena.  They  are  but 
manifestations,  appearances.  Behind  and  beyond  all 
this  is  the  Noumenon,  the  Real,  the  Entit}^  the  ' '  I  Am. ' ' 

Fisher. — Is  God,  then,  the  totality  of  the  Universe? 
275 


2/6  Let  There  Be  Light 

Ezra. — No  mortal  can  ever  know  what  God  is. 

Moore. — But  does  not  our  immortal  soul  discern  God's 
will  toward  us  ? 

Ezra. — Our  souls  on  earth  may  only  discern  God's 
will  toward  us  after  thorough  study  of  God's  laws. 
The  greater  comprehension  we  have  of  Universal  Har- 
mony, the  clearer  will  be  our  understanding  of  God's 
intent  toward  us. 

Fisher. — But  are  not  God's  laws  God  ? 

Ezra. — No  more  than  a  man's  eye  or  his  ear  is  his 
mind.  The  eye  and  the  ear  are  servants  of  the  mind 
or  soul,  and,  like  these,  force  and  matter  are  but  the 
servants  of  the  Universal  Mind,  God. 

Fisher. — How  do  you  know  this  ? 

Ezra. —  If  we  behold  a  network  of  wires  electrically 
charged,  do  we  not  infer  that  the  source  of  the  power 
manifest  in  the  wires  is  centred  in  a  dynamo  ? 

Fisher. — It  would  seem,  then,  that  God  and  His  laws 
are  God,  would  it  not  ? 

Ezra. — The  laws  of  God  are  manifestations  of  God. 
What  God  is,  I  do  not  know. 

Fisher. — How,  then,  can  j^ou  assert  that  God  is  un- 
conditioned ? 

Ezra. — Because  I  can  think  of  no  beginning  and  no 
ending  of  Time  and  Space.  In  this  Time  and  in  this 
Space  are  manifestations  of  Being.  Manifestations  of 
Being  could  not  exist  unless  there  were  a  Being.  If 
we  now  postulate  a  Being,  we  must  in  the  end  conclude 
that  the  Being  must  necessaril}^  be  the  primary  and  sole 
cause  of  manifestation. 

To  postulate  manifestation  without  a  Power  which 
manifests  seems  to  me  an  absurdit3\  To  assume  this 
Power,  we  must  necessarily  predicate  Him  to  be  un- 
conditioned. 


What  God  Is  277 

Conditions  and  limitations  would  necessarily  make 
the  conditions  and  limitations  primary  causes.  There 
would  then  be  several  primar}^,  absolute  powers  ;  and 
this  is  an  impossibility.  For  the  existence  of  more 
than  one  unconditioned  God  would  make  any  and  all 
the  gods  finite  ;  and  a  finite  god  is  no  god  at  all  ;  such 
a  god  can  have  no  truer  conception  of  the  infinite  uni- 
verse than  we  can  have.  Therefore  we  may  be  more 
certain  in  knowing  that  there  is  an  unconditioned  in- 
finite God  than  in  knowing  any  other  thing  what- 
ever. 

Moore. —  Being  unconditioned,  cannot  God  ordain, 
change,  modify  and  justify  ?  Can  He  not  set  His  usual 
laws  aside  to  serve  special  occasions  ? 

Ezra. —  What  God  can  do  is  one  thing  ;  what  He 
does  is  another.  It  would  lead  to  error  and  idolatry 
were  finite  minds  to  postulate  what  God  can  do,  and, 
having  done  so,  to  build  up  a  plan  of  conduct  or  system 
of  belief.  Error  would  then  be  our  guide,  and  a  cruel 
and  barbarous  one  it  would  prove  to  be. 

The  true  guide  is  here.  God  makes  Himself  manifest 
to  us  through  His  work,  in  the  manner  in  which  He 
would  have  us  understand  Him. 

Moore. — There  is  a  fatal  flaw  in  this  whole  line  of 
argument.  We  may  observe  that,  at  all  times  and 
everywhere,  students  of  physical  law  are,  as  a  rule, 
agnostics  and  atheists.  Now,  would  not  the  proposed 
new  church  be  likely  to  engender  agnosticism  and 
atheism  among  all  the  people  ? 

Ezra. — Not  all  physicists  are  what  j'ou  say  they  are  ; 
but  only  a  small  proportion  of  them,  who,  through  ag- 
gressive propaganda  of  their  opinions,  seem  greater  in 
number  than  they  really  are. 

Besides,  in  the  current  systems  of  dogmatic  theology 


278  Let  There  Be  Light 

there  is  much  more  material  for  aggressive  criticism 
than  there  would  be  in  the  system  proposed. 

And  as  for  the  mass  of  the  people,  religious  faith 
among  them  may  be  promoted  and  maintained  only  by 
one  of  two  methods  :  the  inculcation  of  religious  ideas 
without  criticism,  or  a  similar  inculcation  with  criticism. 

That  system  of  belief  which  is  commanded  to  be  re- 
ceived without  criticism,  is  so  received,  and  is  main- 
tained without  dissent, —  when?  Only  when  and  so 
long  as  criticism  does  not  enter  into  it  as  a  factor.  But 
whenever  the  intelligence  of  the  people  generates  a 
spirit  of  criticism  the  people's  religious  belief  must  be 
modified  to  conform  to  the  conclusion  of  the  criticism, 
or  it  will  either  fade  awaj'  or  turn,  first  to  scepticism, 
and  finally  to  hypocrisy  or  athesim. 

That  such  is  the  fact  is  evident.  Before  the  general 
education  of  the  masses,  there  was  almost  universal  as- 
sent to  the  predominant  faiths;  but  to-day,  through  the 
increase  of  general  intelligence,  this  assent  is  wanting. 

What  proportion,  for  instance,  of  the  eighty  millions 
of  people  of  the  United  States  are  regular  attendants  at 
church,  or  have  religious  worship  at  home  ?  It  is, 
therefore,  evident  that  this  lack  of  conformity  must  be 
due  to  one  of  two  causes  :  either  the  people  are  becom- 
ing irreligious,  or  they  are  attaining  a  higher  level  of 
intelligence  than  their  religion  is  fitted  for.  In  my 
opinion  it  is  this  latter  cause  which  breeds  scepticism, 
hypocrisy,  atheism  and  pessimism.  If  so,  it  must 
necessarily  follow  that  a  religious  system  which  permits 
free  criticism  along  the  lines  of  highest  experience  and 
of  Universal  Law  must  tend  to  remove  the  causes  of 
scepticism,  and  thus  to  maintain  belief  up  to  the  highest 
possible  standard  of  civilization. 

Moore. — You   ask   what   proportion   of   the    eighty 


What  God  Is  279 

million  people  of  the  United  States  attend  church  or 
have  religious  worship  at  home  ?  "While  I  must  admit 
that  the  proportion  is  very  small,  smaller  than  it  has  ever 
been  in  the  religious  history  of  the  world,  yet  I  would 
attribute  that  fact  to  certain  causes  which  distract  the 
attention  of  the  people  and  thus  weaken  their  faith. 
Among  these  causes  are,  first,  newspaper  reading  ; 
second,  the  general  attendance  at  public  games  and 
recreations  ;  and  third,  the  theatre  and  other  places  of 
amusement. 

Ezra. — And  is  there  any  reason  why  the  church  ser- 
vice and  the  religious  service  at  home  cannot  be  made 
as  interesting  as  the  things  you  have  named  ?  Cannot 
the  church  service  be  made  as  interesting  as  the  theatre  ? 
Surely;  far  more  so,  and  more  profitable  besides. 
That  religious  system  which  neglects  to  take  into  con- 
sideration the  psychological  law  that  governs  mankind 
must  necessarily  fall  to  the  rear  as  a  factor,  as  a  teacher. 
The  same  is  true  of  all  other  work  that  has  for  its  aim 
the  directing,  guiding  and  uplifting  of  mankind. 

Temperance  workers,  for  instance,  must  find  their 
efforts  minimised  and  neutralised  so  long  as  they  over- 
look this  obvious  law. 

The  human  being  has  his  ideal  and  aesthetic  appetites 
as  well  as  his  craving  for  physical  food. 

The  poor  man  may  be  freely  admitted  to  the  librar}^ 
the  museum  and  the  picture  gallery,  that  is  true  ;  but 
these  things  are  void  of  interest  and  meaningless,  un- 
less the  mind  be  first  prepared  to  appreciate  and  under- 
stand them.  This  primary  work  neglected,  what  result 
must  follow  ?  What  but  the  gin  shop  ?  Liquor  and 
tobacco  are  made  to  remove,  for  a  period  of  time,  that 
stolidity  of  mind  which,  if  continuous,  would  render  life 
unbearable. 


28o  Let  There  Be  Light 

Can  there  not  be  a  higher,  nobler  and  sufficient 
substitute  to  meet  this  self-same  craving  of  the  mind  ? 
Surely. 

Fisher. — Does  this  proposed  system  suggest  prayers 
to  God  ? 

Ezra. — Yes. 

Fisher. — Of  what  use  is  prayer  by  a  finite  being  to  an 
unconditioned,  infinite  God  ?  If  such  a  God  must  an- 
swer prayer,  he  can  then  no  longer  be  unconditioned  ; 
the  finite  petitioner  who  could  compel  answers  would 
be  a  primary  cause,  hence  a  god.  But  if  the  answers 
are  to  be  fortuitous  —  sometimes  yes,  sometimes  no  — 
then  a  favourable  response  depends  as  much  upon  hazard 
as  does  the  drawing  of  a  prize  in  a  lottery. 

Ezra. — Is  it  not  a  universal  law  that  the  predominat- 
ing body  governs  the  non-predominating  ? 

Fisher. — Yes. 

Ezra. — Since  that  is  so,  we  may  conclude  that  prayer 
by  a  finite  being  cannot  govern  or  control  the  Will  of 
God.  God  need  not  come  in  harmony  with  the  man, 
but  man,  by  following  God's  law,  can  come  closer  to 
God. 

Fisher. —  I  do  not  understand  3'ou.  How  can  man 
come  closer  to  God  ? 

Ezra. — By  studying  God's  law. 

Fisher. — Again  I  fail  to  understand  how  the  study 
of  what  you  call  God's  laws  will  bring  any  man  closer 
to  God,  or  make  his  prayer  more  potent  than  that  of 
the  ignorant  man. 

Ezra. — To  enter  upon  this  subject,  it  would  be  neces- 
sary for  me  to  be  permitted  sufficient  time. 

Quail. — I  hope  the  time  will  be  permitted. 

Moore. —  I  will  cheerfully  permit  the  president  to 
continue. 


What  God  Is  281 

Ezra. — Very  good.  Prayer  is  of  two  kinds  :  one  of 
thanksgiving,  and  the  other  for  aid.  Properly  to  ren- 
der thanks  or  to  ask  for  aid,  it  is  essential  that  we 
realise,  to  some  extent,  what  we  are  and  to  whom  we 
address  our  prayer. 

It  is  essential,  first  of  all,  for  all  of  us  to  realise  that 
we  are  largely  the  products  of  our  thoughts  and  acts. 
It  is  essential  for  us  to  realise  that  ennobling  themes, 
ennobling  acts,  are  what  we  may  term  the  soul-cells 
that  upbuild  within  us  a  noble  soul.  Throughout 
the  whole  world  has  the  loving  and  merciful  God  im- 
planted in  His  works  certain  evidences  of  His  Will  ; 
and  if  we  but  properly  decipher  this  Will,  we  shall 
clearly  discern  that  it  is  manifest  in  a  two-fold  type  ; 
the  first  aspect  of  which  is  Justice,  and  the  second 
Beauty.  The  soul  of  man,  in  the  image  of  God,  finds 
its  highest  earthly  joy  in  Beauty,  in  Art;  and  here  man 
is  but  walking  in  God's  shadow. 

Let  anyone  contemplate  the  unattractive  straight 
line  ;  then,  in  his  mind's  eye,  let  him  see  this  line  in- 
clined in  various  graceful  curves.  He  will  be  surprised 
to  discover  that  those  curves  and  lines  which  are  pro- 
nounced artistic  are  in  effect  rhythmic  and  harmonious. 

Three  bold  curves  to  the  right  must  be  mated  by 
three  bold  curves  to  the  left.  In  other  words,  not 
Beauty  alone,  but  also  the  soul  of  Equity  and  Justice  is 
here  personified  and  materialised.  This  is  true  in  em- 
broidery, it  is  true  in  architecture,  it  is  true  in  geometry, 
it  is  true  in  sculpture. 

This  principle  is  equally  true  in  music,  in  the  blend- 
ing of  colours.  It  is  true  in  poetry  and  prose.  It  is 
true  in  logic  and  it  is  true  in  philosoph}-.  It  is  also  true 
in  Justice,  in  Love,  in  Charity,  in  Inspiration  and  in 
Duty. 


Let  There  Be  Light 


The  type  of  this  beauty  has  been  provided  for  us  by 
the  Father  of  Justice,  by  the  Father  of  L,ove  and  Merc}^, 
by  God  Himself  We  see  it  in  the  blade  of  grass,  in 
the  weed  by  the  roadside.  We  see  it  in  the  trembling 
leaf  on  the  tree  and  in  the  noble  form  of  the  tree  itself. 
We  see  it  in  the  insect,  in  the  fish,  in  the  snowflake,  in 
the  grain  of  sand,  in  the  mountain,  in  the  globule  of 
water.  And  last,  but  by  no  means  least,  we  see  it  in 
the  soul  of  man. 

Is  there  anything  in  the  whole  univ^erse  that  does  not 
show  forth  song  and  beauty  ?  But  one  thing,  and  that 
is  sin  ;  and  sin  is  the  breaking  of  God's  law. 

Man,  knowing  all  this,  realising  all  this,  feeling  all 
this, —  shall  he  then  want  for  words  of  praise,  shall  he 
lack  prayers  to  help  him  on  with  a  high  resolve  ? 

Earnest,  soulful  prayer  must  ever  bring  us  into  closer 
communion,  into  closer  harmony,  with  the  Absolute 
Source  of  Harmony;  and  so  must  bring  to  our  troubled 
minds  that  blessed  peace  which  nothing  else  can  bring. 

Bradley. — As  the  time  for  adjournment  is  at  hand,  I 
move  that  we  now  adjourn  until  this  evening  ;  and  that 
the  debate  on  this  subject  be  then  continued. 

Quail. — I  second  the  motion. 

Valanti. —  I  offer  an  amendment  that  the  debate  close 
before  adjournment  at  to-night's  meeting  ;  that  at  the 
close  of  debate  each  member  record  his  vote,  and  be 
allowed  fifteen  minutes  in  which  to  give  his  reasons 
therefor  ;  and  that  the  president  be  allowed  the  re- 
mainder of  any  unexpired  time  for  his  closing  remarks. 

The  amendment  and  motion  were  carried,  and  the 
meeting  adjourned. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII 

THE   CATHOLIC   CHURCH 

REPORT  of  an  adjourned  meeting  of  the  Twentieth 
Century  Club,  Sunday,  May  21,  1899,  7.30  p.m. 

Ezra  arose  and  said:  "  Eadies  and  Gentlemen :  This 
is  an  adjourned  meeting.  The  debate  before  us  is  to 
close  before  the  adjournment.  Each  member  is  to  record 
his  vote,  and  is  permitted  fifteen  minutes  in  which  to 
explain  it ;  and  the  Chair  is  permitted  any  unexpired 
time  for  the  closing  reply. 

"  I  call  upon  Mr.  Valanti  to  record  his  vote,  and  to 
take  the  floor." 

Mr.  Valanti. — Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : 
I  vote,  "  No."  I  am  opposed  to  this  proposed  change 
because  I  believe  that  the  Catholic  Church  is  the  proper 
and  sufficient  guide. 

Assertive  emphasis  would  have  us  believe  that  argu- 
ments in  favour  of  the  Catholic  Church  must  necessarily 
be  opposed  to  common  sense,  and  that  any  and  all  argu- 
ments against  it  must  necessarily  be  valid.  Is  such  the 
case  ?  Far  from  it,  as  we  shall  see.  I  will  endeavour 
to  show  that  the  very  contrary  is  the  case.  I  will  try 
to  present  tangible  evidences  which  shall  show  that 
Catholicism  is  based  on  common  sense  and  utility,  and 

283 


284  Let  There  Be  Light 

that  the  arguments  against  it  are  pure  inventions  of 
feeble  minds.  In  doing  so,  I  shall  try  to  avoid  that 
line  of  abstract,  speculative  proof  which,  when  adroitly 
marshalled  in  the  field  of  logic,  often  makes  the  wrong 
appear  the  right.  I  shall  not  try  to  offer  a  theory  as  a 
substitute  for  a  condition.  I  will  submit  facts  which 
are  patent,  and  which  must  be  readily  accepted  by  all 
fair-minded  persons. 

First  of  all,  there  is  much  mouthing  about  the  Inqui- 
sition. What  was  the  Inquisition  ?  Was  it  not  a 
method  for  the  eradication  of  polytheism  and  of  error  ? 
Will  anyone  say  that  polytheism  is  better  than  Catho- 
licism ?  And  was  not  polytheism  abolished  ?  Was  it 
not  abolished  through  the  aid  of  the  Inquisition  ? 
What  quarrel,  then,  can  there  be  with  a  method  which 
substituted  good  for  evil  ?  That  the  method  seems 
cruel  is  no  excuse  for  that  feeble-mindedness  which 
exclaims  against  it.  The  application  of  the  surgeon's 
instruments  also  seems  cruel  ;  yet  objectors  have  as 
much  right  to  complain  of  the  latter  as  of  the  former  on 
the  score  of  cruelty.  Both  methods  seem  drastic  ;  both 
were  necessary. 

It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  the  Catholic  Church 
busies  itself  to  a  great  extent  in  the  laudable  work  of 
educating  the  young.  It  has  schools  in  every  land, — 
everywhere.  Into  these  schools  are  freely  admitted 
children  of  all  denominations.  Now,  is  it  not  a  fact 
that  these  schools  are  largely  in  demand  by  Protestants, 
by  Jews,  and  even  by  Mohammedans  ?  Why  ?  Clearly 
because  all  who  send  their  children  to  Catholic  institu- 
tions feel  that,  in  so  doing,  they  securely  guard  their 
children  against  contagion  from  the  evil  influences  in 
other  than  Catholic  institutions.  Is  this  not  a  fact  ? 
Who  can  deny  it  ? 


The  Catholic  Church  285 

What  other  institutions  in  all  the  world  can  show- 
such  an  untiring  labour  of  love  and  self-sacrifice  as  that 
performed  by  the  revered  Sisters  of  Mercy  ?  What 
other  institution  can  show  the  zeal,  the  courage,  the 
faith,  the  fidelity  and  the  unselfishness  that  are  shown 
by  the  Catholic  friar,  the  monk,  the  brother,  the  priest 
and  the  missionary  ?  The  leper,  the  convnct,  the  sick, 
the  plague-stricken,  the  troubled,  the  sorrowing,  the 
-ignorant  and  the  poor  —  do  not  all  these  receive  their 
ministration  ? 

The  men  and  women  of  savage  passions  and  of  evil 
inclinations — will  you  curb  them,  subdue  them,  through 
science  ?  Can  we  expect  the  thief  to  confess  and  make 
restitution  through  the  symbol  of  a  billet  of  wood  ? 
Can  you  stay  the  uplifted  arm  of  vengeance  through 
fear  of  a  tube  of  water  ?  Can  you  revive  hope  in  the 
despairing  heart  of  the  sorrow- stricken  by  exhibiting  a 
clod  of  earth  ?  Yes,  when  absurdity  and  reality  shall 
have  changed  places,  when  the  vapourings  of  emptiness 
shall  be  called  fact,  and  when  truth  shall  deck  itself  in 
garments  of  falsehood  and  become  a  concrete  lie. 

What  nobler,  grander  guide  do  we  need  than  that 
which  we  now  have  ?  Shall  we,  indeed,  discard  the 
ever-loving,  merciful  Father  for  an  indefinable,  uncon- 
ditioned unknowable  ?  Have  we  not  a  sure  guide  in 
the  divine  teaching  of  an  Augustine,  an  Ambrose,  a 
Jerome  and  a  Gregory  ?  And  high  above  these,  as  the 
heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth,  is  the  most  blessed 
Redeemer.     Is  not  all  this  sufiicient  ? 

Is  not  the  blessed  God,  who  gave  His  precious  blood 
for  our  redemption,  nearer  to  us  than  an  abstraction, 
an  automaton  ?  Shall  the  evil  ones  on  earth  and  the 
evil  ones  in  hell  at  last  find  sanction  for  their  evil  ? 
What  kind  of  an  uprooting  would  that  be  ?     O  devilish 


286  Let  There  Be  Light 

carnival,  O  bellish  jubilee,  we  want  you  not  !  God 
shall  crush  out  such  impious  uprising,  and  shall  keep 
watch  over  His  Church  and  over  His  faithful  ones  here 
and  hereafter. 

Kvil  there  is,  but  the  evil  is  not  of  the  Church ;  it  is 
here  in  spite  of  her  endeavours.  Our  place  is  within 
the  Church,  within  the  circuit  of  her  endeavour.  Then 
all,  united,  may,  with  one  mighty  effort,  hurl  Satan  and 
his  evil  work  from  dominion  on  earth,  and  evil  shall 
aflflict  us  no  more.     Such  is  the  true  Central  Theme. 

Ezra. — Mr.  Moore  will  now  record  his  vote  and  take 
the  floor. 

Mr.  Moore. — Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : 
I  vote,  "  No."  I  vote  that  way  because  I  cannot  accept 
the  theory  submitted.  Since  it  has  been  put  forward, 
I  have  tried  hard  to  frame  the  idea  so  that  I  could 
understand  it.  Up  to  now,  I  can  onl}^  perceive  it  as  a 
form  of  idolatr3\  I  can  only  perceive  some  huge,  inert 
substance,  from  which  radiate  great  living  tentacles, 
called  laws. 

Shall  we  then  take  this  abstraction  to  our  hearts,  and 
drive  from  thence  the  living,  loving,  cognisable  Saviour  ? 
Shall  we  drive  from  within  us  the  Redeemer  whose 
life-giving  sympathies  we  can  feel, — the  Redeemer  who 
can  understand,  whom  we  can  understand  ;  and  put  in 
His  place  an  abstraction  and  a  distraction  ?  By  no 
means. 

Much  has  been  said  about  attributes.  It  has  been 
said  that  whenever  we  apply  any  attribute  to  God  in 
an  affirmative  manner  we  are  committing  idolatry.  I 
do  not  think  so.  On  the  contrary,  I  think  that  when 
we  say  God  is  just,  we  all  of  us  realise  that  God's  justice 
is  infinitely  higher  than  our  justice. 

I  agree  with  the  first  speaker  in  all  he  said  in  relation 


The  Catholic  Church  287 

to  God,  but  I  disagree  with  him  in  the  high  claim  for 
the  Romish  Church.  The  Romish  Church  is  one  thing; 
Christ's  Church  is  another.  I  agree  with  him  when  he 
says  that  "  Evil  is  here,"  but  I  disagree  v/ith  him  when 
he  claims  to  hold  his  church  guiltless  of  bringing  about 
that  evil.  No !  Evil  is  not  of  the  Church,  the  Protest- 
ant Church  ;  but  to  say  that  it  is  not  of  the  Romish 
Church  is  to  ignore  evident  and  palpable  facts.  It  was 
the  Protestant  Church  which  built  up  freedom,  through 
which  have  come  enlightenment  and  inventions. 

Christ,  indeed,  came  to  save  and  uplift ;  but  Roman 
Catholicism  came  as  a  check  and  a  hindrance  and  a 
block  in  the  road.  Give  but  sufficient  temporal  power 
to  this  institution  to-day,  and  it  would  again  restore 
feudalism,  re-establish  the  Inquisition  and  destroy  the 
inventor  and  his  invention. 

The  evils  that  we  now  endure  in  government,  in  the 
social  status,  in  economics,  are  largely  the  effects  of  her 
former  pernicious  activities.  Time  alone,  and  the 
further  decline  of  this  decrepit  evil,  this  ancient  im- 
postor, will  right  the  wrongs  this  Romish  Church  has 
wrought. 

And  we  may  hasten  this  event  by  strengthening  the 
endeavour  of  Presbyterianism,  of  Christ's  true  Church. 
This  is  the  remedy,  this  is  the  true  Central  Theme. 

Ezra.— Mr.  Quail  will  now  record  his  vote  and  take 
the  floor, 

Mr.  Quail— yir.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : 
I  am  surprised  that  the  two  speakers  who  preceded  me 
paid  so  little  heed  to  what  had  been  said  by  our  worthy 
president.  Whatever  comment  they  made  of  a  favour- 
able nature  was  so  blurred  and  indistinct  as  to  escape 
my  memory;  but  the  unfavourable  comments  were  in- 
tensely aggressive  in  distinctness. 


288  Let  There  Be  Light 

Are  the}'  right  ?  Is  he  right  ?  These  are  the  ques- 
tions agitating  my  mind.  How  to  determine  which  is 
right,  is  a  problem.  Who  can  determine  it  ?  Is  it  not 
most  difficult  for  us  to  change  our  natures  ?  How 
many  years  did  it  not  take  to  build  up  within  us  the 
opinions  we  hold  !  Can  we  then  eradicate  the  convic- 
tions born  of  experience  and  environment  ?  Can  our 
newer  reason  shake  off  the  shackles  of  opinion,  which 
hold  us  fast,  the  product  of  what  we  have  thought  and 
what  we  have  done  ? 

I  try  to  do  this  ;  but,  alas,  I  am  too  feeble,  too  help- 
less,—  impotent  !  So  I,  like  an  infant  that  cannot  yet 
walk,  must,  faithful  to  the  nature  of  my  being,  crawl 
along  feebly,  holding  on  to  things  before  me.  Thus  I 
progress  slowly  and  painfully,  wMth  unsteady  step. 

Advancing  thus  in  thought,  I  would  say  that  the 
Scriptures  tell  us  that  John  the  Baptist  was  sent  by 
God  as  the  forerunner  of  Christ,  to  teach  that  all  who 
would  be  saved  must  be  regenerated  through  baptism, 
and  that  through  this  means  man  is  again  to  become  as 
a  child  and  free  from  sin. 

Christ  confirmed  what  John  had  taught,  and  was 
Himself  baptised  by  John,  and  taught  His  followers  to 
continue  this  baptism  for  all  time  to  come.  But  has 
this  command  been  obeyed  ?  Is  it  now  obeyed  ?  How 
then  can  we  blame  Christ  for  the  evils  under  which  we 
live,  when  we  rebelliously  refuse  to  obey  His  will  ? 

Before  we  have  a  right  to  put  aside  what  was  given 
us,  and  to  pronounce  it  worthless,  ought  we  not  first  of 
all  to  try  what  obedience,  what  compliance  would  do  ? 
Have  we  tried,  have  we  been  exemplary  Christians  ? 
Did  Christ  teach  warfare  among  the  nations?  No; 
and  yet  the  world  is  an  armed  camp. 

Did  Christ  teach  boss-rule  ?     No  ;  and  yet  we  are 


The  Catholic  Church  289 

governed  by  political  bosses.  Did  Christ  teach  usury 
and  the  withholding  of  the  proper  measure  of  wages  ? 
No  ;  and  yet  these  things  flourish.  Did  Christ  teach 
that  Christianity  meant  the  accumulation  of  vast  quan- 
tities of  gold  and  silver  ?  No  ;  and  yet  we  see  that 
these  things  are.  Did  Christ  teach  revenge,  cruelty, 
deception  and  wrong  ?  No  ;  and  yet  these  things  are 
continually  practised.  What  then  ?  Can  we  not 
clearly  see  that  the  Baptist  Church  and  Christ  should 
be  our  Central  Theme  ?  Yes  ;  and  for  this  reason  I 
must  now  record  my  vote  against  the  system  proposed, 
and  in  favour  of  Christ,  the  living  God,  the  only 
Saviour  and  Redeemer. 

Ezi'a. — Mr.  Fisher  will  now  record  his  vote  and  take 
the  floor. 

Mr.  Fisher. — Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : 
If  it  were  not  for  the  existence  and  reality  of  suffering, 
how  ludicrous  all  this  would  be  !  We  are  soberly  told 
that  because  Adam  ate  an  apple  which  he  was  told  not 
to  eat,  God  became  angry,  so  angry  that  He  determined 
on  a  plan  for  "  getting  even."  He  was  to  even  up  this 
disobedience  ;  but  how  ?  First,  by  punishing  Adam 
and  Eve  and  all  their  descendants, — which  seems 
logical  but  cruel  ;  and  second,  by  making  a  martyr  of 
Himself  some  four  thousand  years  thereafter. 

Not  a  word  or  a  hint  was  given  of  this  important  and 
strange  conclusion  to  such  Bible  worthies  as  Abraham, 
Isaac,  Jacob,  Melchizedek,  Joseph,  Job,  Moses,  Aaron, 
Joshua,  Samuel,  David  and  Solomon  ;  although  these 
men,  we  are  told,  were  spoken  to  by  God  on  all  import- 
ant matters  concerning  belief  and  conduct.  Nor  was 
there  anything  said  about  this  matter  to  the  children 
of  Judah  or  Israel,  or  to  any  other  people  on  the  face  of 
the  whole  earth.     Yet  we  are  soberly  told  that  on  the 


290  Let  There  Be  Light 

accompHsliineiit  of  this  martj^rdom,  on  the  accomplish- 
ment of  this  SLiflfering  and  death  of  God,  and  on  belief 
in  the  same,  depended  and  depends  the  earthly  and 
heavenly  happiness  of  every  human  being  that  has  ever 
lived  or  shall  ever  live  on  this  planet. 

Was  this  act  a  necessar)^  one  for  an  almighty  God  ? 
Could  not  such  a  God  have  availed  Himself  of  other 
means  and  nobler  ?  As  an  omnipotent  and  omniscient 
God,  could  He  not  have  prevented  Adam  from  eating 
the  apple  in  the  first  place  ?  As  an  all-merciful  God, 
could  He  not  have  forgiven  Adam  ?  And,  if  God  found 
it  necessary  to  die  for  Adam's  sin,  in  order  to  bring  men 
to  Heaven,  why  did  He  wait  over  four  thousand  years 
before  doing  so  ?  Why  were  the  countlfss  hosts  who 
died  before  He  suffered  on  Calvary  to  be  doomed  to 
eternal  torment  ? 

When  theologians  tell  us  God  did  all  this,  do  they 
mean  by  God,  that  Power  which  controls  and  governs 
the  innumerable  suns  and  countless  worlds  ?  In  the 
vast  ocean  of  infinite  space,  is  not  our  entire  earth  like 
a  mote  in  a  sunbeam  ?  Would  an  infinite,  almighty 
God  find  it  necessary  to  come  down  to  this  insignificant 
planet  and  die,  in  order  to  save  a  handful  of  Jews  or 
Christians  ?  Could  He  not  have  accomplished  all  this, 
and  much  more  besides,  by  simply  changing  the  hearts 
of  men,  or  by  changing  the  laws  that  govern  them  ? 
Instead  of  performing  the  petty  wonders  reported,  could 
He  not  have  placed  visible  writings  in  the  sky,  declar- 
ing His  will  to  the  people  in  Latin,  Hebrew,  Greek, 
Sanskrit,  Chinese  and  Japanese  ?  Would  not  this  soon 
have  converted  a  world  ?  And  if  what  was  done  was 
necessary,  was  a  necessity,  then  was  not  this  necessity 
mightier  than  God  ? 

Such,  then,  and  much  more  besides,  is  the  mass  of 


The  Catholic  Church  291 

foolish  and  contradictory  absurdities  which  are  pre- 
sented to  us  in  the  sober  guise  of  truths  to  guide  and 
direct  our  hves. 

And  how  do  they  guide  ?  Do  we  not  see  ?  Do  we 
not  see  it  in  the  horrible  cruelties  of  an  Inquisition  ? 
Do  we  not  see  it  in  a  world  of  myriad  bayonets,  in  mil- 
lions of  cannon,  in  fleets  of  warships  ?  Do  we  not  see 
it  in  a  world  of  hypocrisy  and  double-dealing  ?  Do  we 
not  see  it  in  the  millionaire  cannibals  who  greedily  de- 
vour the  flesh  and  drink  the  blood  of  a  toiling,  groan- 
ing, trembling,  suffering  humanity  ? 

O  Baal,  O  Moloch  of  old,  how  puny,  how  feeble,  how 
insignificant  were  your  bloody  stipends,  when  measured 
by  the  carniv^orous,  omnivorous,  insatiable  appetite  of 
this  personified  cruelty  ! 

The  anguish  of  the  goddess  chained  to  the  rock  ; 
the  toil  of  him  who,  in  Hades,  ever  pushed  upward  the 
stone  that  ever  again  rolled  down;  the  suffering  of  the 
thirst-tormented  shade  who  saw  the  tempting  water  ever 
escape  his  lips  ;  the  horrors  of  the  hell  painted  in  Dante's 
vivid  colours  —  all  these  are  as  feeble  vapouring  of  the 
poet's  imagination  when  measured  by  the  real  evils 
and  the  actual  sufferings  of  this  earthly  existence. 
And  caused  by  what  ?  By  what  but  these  miserable 
superstitions  which  still  curse  the  earth  with  their 
presence  ? 

In  Hades  the  sufferers  are  supposed  to  be  those  who, 
while  on  earth  and  possessed  of  free  will,  chose  to  enact 
the  r61e  of  monsters.  Their  punishment,  therefore, 
seems  reasonable  ;  but  here  on  earth,  under  the  cruel 
and  merciless  rule  of  the  gods,  all  suffer  ;  especially  the 
feeble  and  innocent.  And  why  ?  In  order  that  canni- 
bals ma}^  thrive  and  riot  and  multiply. 

They  say,  "  Toss  a  cat  as  you  may,  it  will  always 


292  Let  There  Be  Light 

land  on  its  feet,"  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  religions. 
There  were  the  same  grinding  povert}^  and  cruel  suffer- 
ing under  Buddhism  that  there  were  under  Brahminism; 
the  same  under  Mohammedanism  as  under  fetichism  ; 
the  same  under  Catholicism  as  under  Judaism  ;  and  the 
same  under  Protestantism  as  under  Catholicism. 

Members  of  each  new  and  contesting  creed  assert, 
with  vehement  boastful ness,  that  many  and  singular 
ameliorations  are  due  to  that  creed's  Heaven-blessed 
endeavour.  As  smoke  to  the  eyes,  and  as  vinegar  to  the 
teeth,  such  are  these  boasters.  They  come  with  up- 
turned eyes  and  open  palms,  masquerading  as  sympa- 
thisers with  mankind  ;  they  concoct  pleasing  romances 
of  the  attainment  elsewhere  of  that  pleasure  which 
cannibal  cunning  unjustly  absorbs  to  itself  here.  And 
mark  now  the  wonder  !  See  how  the  slaves  pay  for 
their  own  enslavement  ! 

That  I  may  not  seem  to  some  to  strain  the  truth  in 
the  charge,  follow  me  to  ancient  Egypt  and  to  Rome. 
There  were  then  patricians  and  plebeians.  And  to-day, 
under  Protestantism,  in  the  United  States,  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  twentieth  centur}',  what  have  we  ?  The 
same  patrician  and  the  same  plebeian.  The  patrician 
of  old  fed  and  clothed  the  plebeian  by  measure,  and  the 
measure  was  limited  and  barely  sufficient  to  sustain 
the  plebeian's  wretched  existence.  And  to-day  is  not 
the  self-same  measure  used  ?  Shall  it  always  be  so  ? 
No  !  The  time  of  the  awakening  is  at  hand,  the 
awakener  is  here. 

They  tell  us  that  the  Saviour  was  born  in  a  stable, 
and  that  the  Wise  Men  of  the  East  came  to  worship 
Him.  But  was  He  not  born  in  the  retort,  in  the 
crucible,  in  analysis  and  in  synthesis  ?  Did  not  the 
Wise  Men  of  the  East  and  the  West,  of  the  North  and 


The  Catholic  Church  293 

the  South,  come  to  worship  Him  ?     And  is  not  His 
name  Science  ? 

Now  comes  this  new  scribe,  this  new  Ezra,  who  would 
rear  a  new  synagogue  alongside  the  Temple,  even  the 
Temple  of  Science.  A  familiar  and  odious  parasitic 
plant  is  to  be  engrafted  on  the  tree  of  Science,— a 
parasite  which  is  to  absorb  its  wisdom,  consume  its 
vitality  and  deaden  its  energy. 

Too  late,  O  scribe  !  Too  late,  O  Jonah  !  Too  late, 
O  Samson  revived  !  You  are  indeed  too  late  ;  you  are 
behind  the  times.  Had  Roman  Catholicism  taken  the 
course  you  now  outline  ;  had  she  taken  this  course  in 
the  palmy  days  of  her  power,  it  might  then  have  suc- 
ceeded. But  now  the  long  night  of  darkness  is  near- 
ing  its  end,  light  is  breaking  and  will  soon  shine  forth, 
solemn,  strong,  clear  as  noonday,  and  forever  ;  a  light 
which  shall  expose  the  stupefying  illusion  of  creeds  and 
sects  and  gods  and  devils  and  heavens  and  hells.  Then 
will  all  these  things,  together  with  demons  and  hob- 
goblins, be  relegated  to  the  archaeological  department 
of  the  museum,  where,  alongside  the  stone  axe,  the  flint 
arrowhead  and  the  mummy,  they  will  remain  as  objects 
for  the  contemplation  of  the  curious.  And  if  anyone 
in  the  future  seeks  to  take  them  from  thence,  again 
to  worship  them,  he  must  first  answer  the  following 
questions: 

"  Would  an  all-merciful  God  permit  a  trolley  car  to 
crush  and  mangle  a  pure,  innocent  and  lovely  child  ?  " 

"  Would  an  all-merciful  God  permit  the  existence 
of  scorpions,  deadly  insects,  reptiles  and  ferocious 
beasts  ? ' ' 

"  Would  an  all-merciful  God  permit  the  pitiless  fire 
to  consume  innocent  flesh  ?  Would  He  permit  the 
destruction  by  the  unforeseen  tornado  ?     Would  He 


294  Let  There  Be  Light 

permit  the  forked  lightying  to  lap  up  human  life  as  a 
hungry  cat  laps  milk  ?  ' ' 

"  Why  do  the  coal  mine  and  the  ocean  and  the 
miasmic  field  and  the  earthquake's  tremble  take  toll  of 
human  life  ?  ' ' 

"  Why  do  the  railway,  the  steamship  and  the  trolley 
car  demand  their  share  of  human  life,  and  take  it  ?  " 

"  Why  do  plagues,  pestilences,  fevers  and  ailments 
innumerable  take  whatever  life  they  wish  ?  Why  do 
they  disdain  to  discriminate  between  the  good  and  the 
bad?" 

Is  there  any  evidence  here  of  an  all-merciful  God  ? 
Answer,  O  priest  !  Answer,  O  high  priest  !  Answer, 
I  say  !  Answer,  ye  gods  !  Answer  one  and  all  !  An- 
swer ?  There  is  no  answer.  There  are  no  gods.  I 
vote,  "No." 

Ezra. — Mr.  Bradley  will  now  record  his  vote  and  take 
the  floor. 

Mr.  Bradley. — Mr.  President,  L,adies  and  Gentlemen: 
The  remarks  of  the  last  speaker  no  doubt  produced  the 
same  effect  on  you  that  they  did  on  me.  Though  he 
spoke  in  a  quiet,  orderly  manner,  yet  the  efiect  of 
what  he  said  was  harsh  and  unpleasant  in  the  extreme. 
I  could  well  wish  that  his  logic  were  less  grounded  in 
fact,  that  his  conclusions  were  built  on  a  feebler  base. 
But  for  all  that,  he  and  the  school  of  thought  to  which 
he  belongs  are  by  no  means  as  repellent  as  they  seem. 
They  deserve  a  higher  pedestal  of  respect  than  we  are 
wont  to  place  them  on. 

And  now  to  digress  for  a  short  time.  The  inquirer 
and  observer  cannot  fail  to  note  that  the  human  race 
appears  to  be  largely  composed  of  three  main  classes  : 
the  ignorant,  the  hypocritical  and  the  supercritical. 
All  three  are  extremes  ;  therefore  they  travel  in  acute 


The  Catholic  Church  295 

angles  away  from  the  truth.  That  this  is  a  natural 
process  in  the  law  of  development  is  obvious.  The 
nature  of  ignorance  inclines  it  to  credulity  ;  the  hypo- 
critical, observing  this  tendency  of  the  ignorant,  turn 
it  to  their  advantage.  This  characteristic  action  of  the 
hj'pocritical,  when  observed  by  the  supercritical,  in- 
clines them  in  the  line  of  angular  criticism,  pointed, 
.seemingly  true,  but  in  the  last  analysis  true  only  in 
trend  of  destruction,  and  false  in  trend  of  construction. 

Yet  this  supercritic  has  value,  —  sound  intrinsic 
value  ;  for  this  iconoclast,  this  breaker  of  images,  does 
true  pioneer  work.  His  work  has  the  merit  of  clearing 
the  path  of  brush  and  stubble.  In  this  work  he  is 
invaluable. 

This  supercritic  constructs  for  himself  an  ingenious 
lever.  The  credulity  of  the  ignorant  is  his  weight,  the 
unprincipled  activity  or  the  knavish  acquiescence  of 
the  hypocritical  is  his  fulcrum.  With  a  bar  of  Truth 
above  the  fulcrum,  and  with  the  lower  end  of  the  bar 
underneath  the  weight,  he  seeks,  with  one  mighty 
effort,  at  the  same  time  to  crush  hypocrisy  and  to  hurl 
credulity  into  oblivion.  So  eager  is  he  to  do  this,  that 
he  fails  to  see  the  danger  of  too  vehement  effort  ;  for 
too  sudden  an  impulse  may  cause  him  to  lose  his  grip 
on  the  bar  of  Truth  which  he  employs  as  a  lever. 
Thus,  through  the  slipping  in  his  grasp  of  the  bar  of 
Truth,  all  his  purposes  may  be  frustrated. 

The  true  up-builder  is  of  a  higher  order,  of  a  finer, 
nobler  organisation  ;  and  the  results  of  his  labours  are 
of  infinitely  greater  value  to  humanity.  The  up- 
builder  is  given  the  God-like  quality  of  employing 
Truth  constructively,  to  build  up  for  us  a  visible  struc- 
ture wherein  we  may  abide  in  Hope,  in  Faith  and  in 
Charity.     And  have  not  these  up-builders  so  worked 


296  Let  There  Be  Light 

for  us  ?  Can  we  not  perceive  on  every  side,  as  a  result 
of  their  building,  a  spirit  of  absolute  justice,  of  absolute 
righteousness,  pervading  and  permeating  every  law  ? 
Can  we  deny  the  existence  and  operation  of  this  spirit  ? 
No,  not  so  long  as  sane  reason  and  sober  judgment  hold 
us  under  their  harmonious  dominion.  And  is  not  this 
spirit  of  absolute  justice,  of  absolute  righteousness, 
God? 

That  this  most  exalted  being  is  invested  by  the 
ignorant  with  anthropomorphic  qualities  is  true.  That 
this  low  conception  of  God  is  the  root  and  cause  of 
almost  all  our  earthly  suffering  is  also  true.  But  that 
happiness  can  be  promoted  by  denying  God,  is  not 
true.  It  is  false.  To  deny  the  existence  of  absolute 
justice  and  of  absolute  righteousness  would  be  contrary 
to  the  nature  with  which  we  are  endowed.  How  is  it, 
then,  that  the  supercritic  fails  to  see  God  ?  Is  it  not 
because  he  has  failed  to  bring  himself  into  harmony 
with  God's  spirit,  so  abundantly  manifest  in  the  Bible  ? 
He  carps  at  the  primitive  legend  and  the  traditional 
allegory,  and  by  laboured  effort  shows  us  what  they 
are.  But  he  omits  the  endeavour  to  grasp  the  exalta- 
tion, the  superlative  excellence,  which  abound  in  the 
Bible  for  him  who  seeks  them  in  humbleness  of  spirit 
and  in  single-mindedness. 

Who  is  responsible  for  all  this  great  lapse,  this  great 
error  ?  Who  but  the  hypocritical  sophist,  whose  fear 
of  harm  or  whose  desire  for  gain  prevents  him  from  ex- 
posing error  ?  If  both  are  weighed  in  the  balance  of 
Justice,  it  is  not  the  honest  supercritic  who  will  be  found 
worthy  of  eternal  damnation,  but  rather  the  dishonest 
hypocrite  who,  by  his  silent  acquiescence  or  by  his  active 
approval,  maintains  dogmas  which  he  believes  and  feels 
are  falsehoods. 


The  Catholic  Church  297 

Dare  such  a  one  call  God  just  or  merciful,  when  the 
logical  outcome  of  his  dogmatism  is  injustice  and 
cruelt}'  ?  Can  an  all-just  God  be  just  to  Catholics  and 
unjust  to  Presbyterians  ?  Can  an  all- merciful  God  be 
merciful  to  Episcopalians  and  unmerciful  to  Jews  ? 
Can  an  all-loving  God  love  the  Baptists  and  "hate  the 
Mohammedans  ?  Out,  damnable  falsehood !  Out  from 
the  minds  of  men  !  Out,  separator,  estranger,  divider, 
destroyer,  devil  ! 

It  is  sacrilegious,  blasphemous  falsehood  of  this  kind 
which  has  tarnished  the  natural  good  in  man  ;  which 
has  robbed  him  of  his  rights,  of  his  manhood.  It  has 
heaped  infamy  on  the  innocent,  and  degradation  on  the 
upright.  It  has  maligned  and  robbed  and  stolen  and 
tortured  and  murdered.  If  there  be  a  Satan,  a  prince 
of  evil,  a  devil,  then  let  his  name  be  changed  to  Re- 
ligious Dogma.  This  it  is  which  serves  as  the  induce- 
ment to  enlist  the  army  of  the  ignorant,  in  order  that 
they  may  be  officered  by  hypocrites.  This  it  is  which 
is  responsible  for  the  atheist,  which  makes  possible 
the  pessimist  and  the  anarchist. 

And  now  a  few  words  on  the  evidence  which  the  last 
speaker  marshals  to  prove,  as  he  thinks,  the  non- 
existence of  God.  He  asks  whether  an  all-merciful 
God  would  permit  the  mangling  of  a  child  by  a  trolley 
car.  Certainly  not,  for  we  are  commanded  to  be  care- 
ful, and  human  life  is  to  be  precious  to  us.  Then  shall 
not  God  intervene  and  cause  all  the  universal  laws  to 
be  suspended  in  order  to  rescue  the  child,  or  to  save 
some  from  fire  and  others  from  danger  of  shipwreck  ? 
Would  such  an  intervention  be  a  display  of  mercy  and 
of  justice  ?  Would  it  not  rather  be  a  display  of  magic 
and  necromancy  ? 

Would  any  of  us  desire  to  have  God  change  His 


298  Let  There  Be  Light 

nature  to  that  of  a  magician  ?  No  ;  and  so  the  order  of 
things  under  which  we  live  will  teach  us  how  we  may- 
best  avoid  loss  of  life  through  accidents  or  carelessness. 
And  as  for  the  serpents,  the  wild  beasts,  the  fevers,  the 
pestilences  and  the  plagues,  have  we  not  learned  to 
lessen  these  evils  in  the  past,  and  may  we  not  continue 
to  lessen  them  in  the  future  ? 

And  now,  finally,  I  wish  to  record  my  vote  on  the 
question  before  us.  While  I  see  much  of  the  high  and 
noble  in  the  presentation  of  our  worth}^  president,  I 
am  yet  impelled  to  cast  my  vote  in  the  negative.  I 
vote,  *'  No."  I  v^ote  in  this  way,  because  I  believe  we 
have  already  a  sufficiency  for  right  living  here  and  for 
salvation  hereafter.  That  sufficiency  is  the  Bible,  when 
the  grosser  interpretation  of  it  shall  have  been  removed. 
I  likewise  fear  that  the  plan  presented  would,  in  prac- 
tical application,  be  debased  from  its  present  seemingly 
high  standard,  and  might  be  lowered  to  subserve  the 
credulity  of  the  ignorant,  and  the  selfish  interests  of 
the  cruel,  the  cunning  and  the  wicked  ;  and  that  thus 
the  new  church  might,  in  the  end,  accomplish  more 
mischief  than  good. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX 

THK   MESSIANIC   AGE) 

Bzm.— Toadies  and  Gentlemen  :  I  am  not  at  all  sur- 
prised at  the  stand  taken  by  the  speakers  who  have 
preceded  me  ;  it  is  in  harmony  with  the  law  of  con- 
servatism. And  it  is  well  that  this  law  operates  ;  for 
were  it  otherwise,— were  opinions  to  change  too  rap- 
idly,—there  would  be  no  stability. 

Critical  judgment,  before  it  can  accept  any  new  opin- 
ion that  differs  radically  from  the  old,  must,  I  think, 
first  modify  or  reject  the  old.  And  before  such  accept- 
ance can  be  logically  complete,  all  inconsistent  opinions 
that  bear  any  intrinsic  relation  to  the  new  opinion  must 
be  adjusted  to  meet  the  change.  Only  thus  can  there 
be  consistency  and  correspondence  of  thought  through- 
out. To  force  one's  self  to  accept  new  opinions  other- 
wise is  to  take  into  the  mind  unassimilative  matter. 

In  accordance  with  this  proposition,  you  will  see,  by 
what  follows,  that  it  is  as  natural  for  me  to  propose  this 
plan  as  for  you,  now,  to  reject  it.  The  Jewish  people, 
as  you  know,  have  for  many  centuries  been  possessed 
with  the  idea  of  a  Messiah.  A  few  among  them,  in  the 
early  history  of  Christianity,  accepted  Jesus  as  the 
Messiah  ;   but  almost  all  the  remainder  preferred  to 

299 


300  Let  There  Be  Light 

await  the  time  when  the  Messiah  nearer  to  their  ideal 
and  their  aspirations  was  to  appear. 

Some  among  them  centred  their  ideal  on  a  divine 
warrior,  on  a  mighty  conqueror,  who  was  to  build  up  a 
great  political  institution,  with  Jerusalem  as  the  Capital. 
Others  believed  that  the  Messiah  was  to  be  the  spiritual 
head  of  the  world,  a  sort  of  universal  Pope.  But  a  large 
number  of  the  more  thoughtful  Jews  conceived  the  idea 
that  the  people  Israel  was  the  Messiah,  and  that,  in  the 
end,  this  people  was  to  be  instrumental  in  bringing 
about  a  Messianic  Age  ;  an  age  in  which  Jews,  Christ- 
ians, Mohammedans,  heathen,  pagans,  all  the  world, 
were  to  become  assimilated  under  a  more  perfect  S3'stem 
of  belief  and  a  nobler  social  system  than  any  that  had 
theretofore  prevailed. 

To  what  extent  the  state  of  subordination  in  which 
the  Jews  were  placed  influenced  them  in  this  broader 
Messianic  conception,  I  am  unable  to  state  ;  but  that  it 
influenced  them  powerfully  is  evident.  It  was  this 
idea,  in  the  main,  which  made  their  terrible  sufferings 
bearable,  which  preserved  their  solidarity,  which  buoyed 
up  their  hope,  which  enabled  them  to  survive  and  to 
persist. 

It  is,  therefore,  perfectly  natural  for  me,  a  Jew,  to  pro- 
pose what  I  have  proposed  ;  for  the  idea,  as  you  can 
now  see,  did  not  come  to  my  mind  at  a  bound  or  with 
one  effort.  The  idea  of  a  Messianic  Age  is  not  only  a 
conclusion  that  almost  all  my  people  now  hold  ;  but,  as 
you  may  perceive  from  what  I  have  said,  it  is  hereditary 
in  us.  But  whether  this  idea,  in  the  form  in  which  it 
has  been  presented  to  you,  would  be  more  readily  re- 
ceived by  Jews  at  large  than  by  you  —  that  is  another 
question.  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  at  first,  in  this 
form,  it  would  be  rejected  by  them  as  emphatically  as 


The  Messianic  Age  301 

by  you.  Before  there  can  be  any  critical  acceptance 
of  new  opinions,  as  I  said  before,  there  must  be  a  con- 
current adjustment  with  such  new  opinions  of  the  related 
opinions  which  control  us.  Fortunately,  the  ultimate 
acceptance  of  a  truth  does  not  demand  general  acquies- 
cence at  the  start.  It  is  sufficient  if  the  truth  is  ac- 
cepted by  the  few  who,  endowed  with  faith,  energy  and 
zeal,  in  time  overcome  opposition. 

And  now  to  the  principal  matter.  In  a  series  of 
meetings  we  have  discussed  the  political,  economical 
and  social  conditions  under  which  we  live.  Underlying 
the  themes  themselves  there  seemed  to  exist,  as  a  cardi- 
nal feature  of  our  discussions,  the  hope  that  investiga- 
tion would  tend  to  mark  out  a  path  toward  amelioration. 
Spurred  on  by  the  meagre  and  precarious  returns  which 
we  receive  for  our  daily  labour,— returns  which  we 
deem  below  the  limit  of  our  legitimate  needs,  much 
below  the  limit  of  our  ambition,  and  still  farther  below 
the  limit  of  the  rich,  in  the  totality  of  the  returns  ;— 
stimulated  still  further  by  the  knowledge  of  the  obvious 
wall  of  social  separation  that  surrounds  us,  and  by  the 
surmise  that  existing  social  and  material  inequality 
has  its  root  in  some  cause  not  clearly  discerned  ; — thus 
animated,  we  began  our  inquiry  by  a  discussion  on 
government. 

At  its  conclusion  the  logical  outcome  of  the  discus- 
sion indicated,  as  our  next  step,  the  investigation  of 
the  current  industrial  and  social  system.  Here,  as  be- 
fore, we  could  not  find  that  plan  of  general  amelioration 
which  we  sought.  So,  next  in  order,  and  in  logical 
sequence,  we  took  up  the  question  of  competition  and 
collectivism  ;  and  while  this  discussion  likewise  failed 
to  supply  a  solution  of  the  problem,  it  nevertheless  in- 
dicated clearly  that  we  could  find  a  solution  in  the 


302  Let  There  Be  Light 

theme  that  logically  followed.  That  theme  was  the 
God-idea, —  Religion. 

"We  found  that  thought,  idea,  conduct,  convention, 
impulse,  tendency,  emotion  and  will  were  more  power- 
fully acted  upon  by  the  impelling  power  of  Religion 
than  by  any  and  all  other  factors  whatever.  It  is  Re- 
ligion that  decides  what  is  just,  what  is  right,  what  is 
humane,  what  is  charitable,  what  is  merciful,  what  is 
neighbourly  and  what  is  unselfish.  It  is  Religion  that 
decides  what  such  things  are  in  their  positive  and  in 
their  negative  forms.  The  question  then  necessarily 
drew  us  to  an  examination  of  the  predominant  religious 
systems.     And  we  found  : 

First:  That  Christianity  and  Judaism  were  derived 
from  the  various  interpretations  of  the  Bible. 

Second :  That  the  Bible  is  composed  of  intermingled 
portions  of  inspiration,  ethics,  history,  tradition,  alle- 
gory and  parable. 

Third :  That  these  portions  are  so  interwoven  as  to 
make  it  almost  impossible  to  distinguish  between  fact 
and  allegory. 

Fourth  :  These  difficulties  confront  not  only  the  un- 
critical, but  the  critical  also. 

Fifth  :  These  difficulties  can  never  be  reconciled,  be- 
cause there  was  no  grammar  of  the  ancient  Hebrew 
language,  nor  were  any  vowels  employed  ;  and  the 
vowels  now  supplied  are  of  recent  origin.  Beside 
which,  there  are  many  synonymous  words  in  ancient 
Hebrew.  This  difficult}'  and  the  absence  of  vowels 
render  correct  translation  an  impossibility. 

Sixth  :  Each  church  adopted  a  certain  version,  in- 
fusing into  it  a  meaning  contrary  to  that  of  the  other 
versions.  This  process  created  contradictor}'  doctrines, 
which  are  the  main  root  of  error. 


The  Messianic  Age  303 

Seventh :  These  errors  confuse  the  mind  and  lead  it 
to  wrong  interpretations  of  justice,  duty,  equity,  right- 
eousness, mercy,  fellowship  and  charity. 

Eighth  :  The  aim,  object  and  end  of  the  Old  and  the 
New  Testaments  is  to  teach  us  to  love  and  obey  God, 
and  to  love  our  neighbour  as  ourselves. 

Ninth  :  God's  laws  are  manifest  in  the  things  which 
are  on  the  earth,  in  the  water,  in  the  air  and  in  the 
heavens,  and  in  the  forces  which  pervade  and  permeate 
them. 

Tenth  :  These  manifestations  can  best  be  studied  in 
an  orderl}'  and  systematic  manner.  The  study  should 
begin  at  the  earliest  period  of  the  child's  development, 
and  should  be  continued  during  all  the  period  of  human 
life. 

Eleventh  :  To  study,  observe  and  contemplate  the 
laws  of  God  with  due  reverence,  they  should  be  so 
studied,  observed  and  contemplated  in  the  church,  in 
the  home,  in  the  shop,  in  the  field,  everywhere,  and  at 
all  times. 

Tzvelfth  :  Such  a  course  would  in  time  elevate  our 
standard  of  thought,  idea,  conduct,  corivention,  im- 
pulse, tendency,  emotion  and  will. 

Thirteenth  :  Such  a  course  would  remove  our  present 
imperfect  conceptions  of  justice,  of  duty,  of  equity,  of 
righteousness,  of  mercy,  of  charity,  of  love,  of  humanity 
and  of  unselfishness. 

Fourteenth  :  Such  a  course  would  greatly  multiply 
human  knowledge  and  human  happiness. 

Fifteenth :  Such  a  course  would  tend  to  unite  all  the 
families  of  the  earth  in  the  bonds  of  fraternal  love  and 
in  the  love  of  God. 

These  things,  then,  were  brought  out  as  a  result  of 
our  discussion,  and  are,  as  we  see,  at  present  rejected, 


304  Let  There  Be  Light 

but  yet  are  the}'  not  lost.  It  is  now  no  longer  in  my 
power  to  remove  this  matter  from  your  minds,  even  if 
I  were  inclined  to  do  so.  It  will  remain  there  as  a  seed 
planted  in  fertile  soil.  In  due  season  the  seed  wull 
sprout  and  bring  forth  ;  if  not  in  you,  then  in  your 
children  ;  and  if  not  in  them,  then  in  humanity,  some- 
where, some  time. 

Is  there  anyone  with  mind  so  dull  that  he  can  fail  to 
take  note  of  the  wrong,  the  injustice,  the  inequality, 
the  poverty,  the  misery  and  the  suffering  which  exist  ? 
Are  there  any  so  brutish  as  to  feel  no  desire  for  a  better, 
a  nobler  condition  ?  If  so,  then  do  these  lack  that  feel- 
ing because  God  denied  them  spiritual  activity.  The 
problem  of  shaping  conditions,  the  problem  of  human 
development,  has  been  placed  before  man.  It  is  for 
him  to  solve  it,  and  on  its  solution  depends  his  weal  or 
his  woe.  It  is  in  the  struggle  of  this  labour,  —  in  this 
ever-continuous  wrestling  with  the  angels,  the  mes- 
sengers, the  laws  of  God, —  that  the  mighty  Israel, 
Humanity,  shall  in  the  end  prevail.  For  in  the  day 
of  victory,  Humanity,  like  Jacob  of  old,  shall  grip  the 
angel,  the  messenger,  the  laws  of  God,  and  shall  not  let 
go  his  hold  until  the  angel,  the  messenger,  the  laws  of 
God,  shall  have  given  him  his  blessing.  And  in  that 
day  shall  man  be  emancipated  and  free.  In  that  day 
shall  flow  for  all  the  children  of  God  the  fountain  of 
abundance,  of  peace  and  of  joy. 

Let  us  now  observe  that  of  the  world's  principal  ex- 
amples of  pessimism  there  have  been  two  which  are 
remarkable  : — the  pessimism  of  the  Buddhist  and  the 
pessimism  of  the  ascetic  Christian.  Both  sought  a 
selfish  Heaven  ;  both  sought  it  selfishly.  What  were 
the  earth,  their  country,  their  neighbours,  their  family, 
their  very  children  to  them  ?     Nothing.     What  they 


The  Messianic  Age  3^5 

prayed  for,  what  they  sighed  for,  what  they  longed  for, 
what  they  fasted  for,  what  they  tortured  themselves 
for,  was  a  Heaven  for  themselves.  Were  I  Keeper  of 
Heaven,  I  would  surely  keep  all  such  miserable,  selfish 
creatures  outside  the  gates,  and  would  never  permit 
one  of  them  to  enter. 

Thank  God  that  Israel  was  always  optimistic  !  Israel 
taught  no  eternal  damnation;  he  taught  that  the  King- 
dom of  Heaven  is  for  the  righteous  of  all  nations  ;  he 
taught  that  this  earth  is  God's  footstool,  God's  handi- 
work, therefore  sacred  ;  he  taught  that  all  the  people 
of  the  earth  are  brethren,  and  that  God  is  the  Father  of 
all.  Above  all,  Israel  believed  in  his  glorious  mission  ; 
a  mission  which  was  to  bring  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven 
on  this  earth,  and  for  all  humanity. 

It  was  this  belief  which  gave  Israel  that  exalted 
optimism  during  the  centuries  of  his  unparalleled  trials 
and  terrible  sufferings.  This  optimism  it  was  which 
lulled  him  to  a  peaceful  sleep  amidst  terrors.  And 
Israel  slept  peacefully  on,  undisturbed,  unruffled  ;  and 
he  still  sleeps.  But  presently  God  shall  again  unseal 
his  eyes,  and  Israel  shall  awaken,  and  lo  !  he  shall  find 
himself  in  the  loving  embrace  of  all  humanity.  Then 
shall  he  no  longer  sleep,  but  he  shall  be  awake  as  of 
old,  full  of  zeal  in  the  service  of  the  Most  High,  and  he 
shall  teach  man,  as  of  old,  "  lyOve  thy  neighbour  as 
thyself." 

In  contemplating  the  plan  before  us,  and  the  vital 
changes  which  its  acceptance  would  be  likely  to  de- 
velop, it  may  not  be  inappropriate  to  draw  attention  to 
an  illustration.  The  art  of  weaving  is  perhaps  one  of 
the  oldest  of  all  arts.  It  is  likely  that  the  first  sugges- 
tion of  weaving  came  from  observing  the  bark  of  the 
cocoanut  tree.     From  a  primitive  beginning,  this  noble 


3o6  Let  There  Be  Light 

art  has  now  culminated  in  the  differentiating  Jacquard 
loom,  which  produces  designs  scarcely  less  intricate 
than  those  produced  by  the  direct  operation  of  God's 
law.  Consider  such  a  perfected  weaving  machine  at 
work,  manipulated  by  an  intelligent  and  skilful  work- 
man. Observ^e  how  responsive  is  each  part  of  the 
whole  ;  how  in  time  the  design  of  the  artist  is  realised 
in  the  finished  product. 

Bring  forth  another  design,  equally  beautiful,  and 
the  raw  material  for  its  manufacture,  and  replace  the 
skilful  workman  by  one  who  lacks  skill  and  experience; 
let  him  try  to  perform  the  work  which  the  artist  planned. 
What  must  be  the  result  ?  What  but  tangled  and 
broken  threads,  damage  to  the  material  and  to  the 
machinery,  and  imperfect  work  ? 

And  is  it  not  the  same  in  the  weaving  of  our  social 
fabric  ?  Is  not  the  condition  now  that  of  a  loom  oper- 
ated by  an  unintelligent,  unskilful  mechanic  ?  It  is 
true  that  the  condition  is  better  than  in  times  past  ; 
but  how  infinitely  better  could  it  not  be  were  the  general 
intelligence  higher  !  And  what  will  exalt  human  intel- 
ligence to  a  higher  plane  than  the  reverent  study  of 
God  as  He  is  made  manifest  to  us  through  His  works  ? 

There  are  to-day  two  great  monopolies,  two  great 
aristocracies.  One  is  the  monopoly,  the  aristocracy,  of 
wealth,  and  the  other  that  of  learning.  Socialists  and 
other  reformers,  whose  laudable  desire  it  is  to  enlist 
endeavour  for  amelioration,  overlooking  the  monopoly 
of  learning,  urge  that  we  employ  coercive  force  against 
the  monopoly  of  wealth.  Puny  efforts  !  Do  they  not 
realise  that  intimidation,  coercion  or  force  will  serve  to 
no  good  purpose  so  long  as  the  capitalistic  antagonist 
finds  aid  and  shelter  behind  the  protecting  walls  of  the 
aristocracy  of  learning  ? 


The  Messianic  Age  ^oj 

This  is  the  citadel  for  conquest.  Let  all  the  people 
enter  the  noble  field  of  learning.  Let  all  the  people 
possess  themselves  of  the  intricate  secrets  of  God's  law. 
Let  them  erase  the  dividing  line  ;  let  them  destroy  the 
monopoly  of  learning  by  themselves  becoming  learned. 
Scarcely  shall  they  have  accomplished  this  when,  to 
their  surprise,  they  shall  see  that  not  only  the  evil  of 
which  the}'-  justly  complain,  but  many  others  over- 
looked, have  departed  of  their  own  accord. 

The  inspired  Psalmist  of  old,  in  speaking  of  idols, 
said,  "Eyes  have  they,  but  they  see  not  ;  ears  have  they, 
but  they  hear  not  "  ;  and  may  it  not  be  said  of  the  peo- 
ple of  to-day,  "  Ears  and  eyes  have  they,  but  they  hear 
not,  nor  see  God  manifest  in  His  law"  ?  Poets  write, 
but  the  people  cannot  read  ;  painters  paint,  but  the 
people  cannot  see  ;  writers  set  forth,  but  the  people 
cannot  comprehend.  And  because  of  this  are  they  in 
slavery.  Shall  not  the  people  become  free  ?  Shall 
they  not  learn  to  hear,  to  see,  to  read,  to  write,  to 
comprehend  ? 

What  power  is  it,  then,  which  would  withhold  light, 
intelligence,  freedom  ?  Does  not  the  voice  of  God  utter 
speech  ?  Does  He  not  speak  to  us  in  the  mote  that 
floats  in  the  sunbeam  ?  Does  He  not  speak  to  us  in 
the  wonders  of  organic  life  ?  Is  not  the  air  peopled 
with  His  divine  messengers  ?  Is  there  a  place  in  the 
whole  universe  where  His  wondrous  voice  is  not  heard  ? 
Is  there  an  object  in  the  world  that  does  not  contain  a 
message  to  us  from  God  ?  The  time  will  surely  come 
when  men  shall  wonder  that  argument  was  necessary 
to  convince  the  people  that  it  is  for  their  interest  to  see, 
to  read,  to  hear,  to  apprehend,  and  to  comprehend. 

We  in  our  day  go  to  museums  ;  we  draw  the  atten- 
tion of  our  children  to  the  implements  of  the  stone  age, 


3o8  Let  There  Be  Light 

and  show  them  the  kettles  wherein  cannibals  prepared 
human  flesh  for  food.  We  tell  our  children  how  much 
wiser  and  better  are  we  than  were  the  savages  of  old. 
But  are  we  so  much  better,  after  all  ?  Are  there  not 
millions  of  human  beings  compelled  to  exist  in  squalor, 
in  degradation,  in  puvert}-,  in  sin  and  in  misery  ?  Why 
is  this  so  ?  Is  it  because  God  is  niggard  in  His  bless- 
ing ?     Is  the  earth  too  small  for  us  all  ? 

No  !  The  earth  is  large  enough  for  ten  or  twenty 
times  the  number  now  upon  it.  The  power  is  here, 
the  resources  are  here,  the  willing  hands  to  toil  are 
here  and  the  blessings  of  God  are  here,  all  in  greater 
abundance  than  our  needs  require.  But  ignorance  and 
hate  and  evil  creeds  and  cruel  dogmas  are  also  here  ; 
and  so  long  as  these  are  here,  slavery  must  be  here  also. 

Must  we,  then,  sit  stolidl}'  with  folded  arms  and  wait 
for  freedom  ?  No.  God  bids  us  to  fight  in  His  cause, 
and  to  fight  zealously.  Humbleness  of  station  need  be 
no  bar  to  the  fighter,  for  God  graciously  exalts  the 
humble  who,  in  sincerity  and  in  singleness  of  purpose, 
put  on  the  armor  for  the  right  and  wield  the  sword 
valiantly. 

If  there  be  still  any  misunderstanding  as  to  this  pre- 
sentation that  I  have  made,  if  anj^  feebleness  on  my 
part  has  prevented  me  from  making  clear  to  you  this 
message,  then  I  beg  you  to  put  aside  what  I  have 
already  said,  and  to  consider  only  this,  which  I  shall 
now  say  : 

In  place  of  contemplating  the  present  systems  of  be- 
lief, and  the  resultant  social  system,  look  with  your 
mind's  eye  upon  a  S3'stem  under  which  all  human  life 
shall  be  true  to  Science,  true  to  Art  ;  not  the  cramped 
and  warped  science  of  the  specialist,  nor  the  narrowed 
art  of  the  painter,  the  sculptor,  the  musician  or  the 


The  Messianic  Age  309 

handicraftsman, but  that  wider,  grander,  nobler  Science, 
that  higher,  God-embracing,  God-loving  and  man- 
serving  Art  born  of  Science  and  permeating  every 
department  of  human  interest.  If  such  a  system  should 
prevail,  what  would  then  be  the  condition  on  earth  ? 
What  but  joyful  harmony  ?  We  should  then  be  in 
harmony  with  God's  law  and  in  harmony  with  God. 
And  would  there  still  be  on  this  planet  room  for  vice, 
for  poverty,  for  hate  and  for  discord  ?  No  ;  for  God 
would  then  reign  on  earth.  He  would  be  King,  and 
His  laws  would  be  our  Eternal  Messiah.  Is  the  picture 
overdrawn  ?  Who  can  say  it  is  without  doing  violence 
to  truth  ? 

What,  then,  is  Science  ?  What  but  the  sincere,  faith- 
ful, honest  interpretation  of  God's  laws  ?  And  what  is 
Art  ?  What  but  the  sincere,  faithful  and  honest  imita- 
tion of  the  manifestations  of  God's  laws?  And  what 
endeavour  can  be  nobler,  grander  or  higlier  than  to 
make  such  interpretation,  such  imitation,  the  common 
labour  of  all  God's  children  ? 

This,  then,  it  is,  which  was  intended  to  be  expressed 
in  the  theme  I  set  before  you.  This  it  is  which  you  have 
now  rejected.  Conservatism,  itself  a  law  of  God,  has 
prevented  you  from  accepting  it  now.  Time  and 
further  thought,  however,  may  in  the  end  cause  5'ou 
to  change  your  minds.  Or  perhaps  what  I  have  now 
said  may  have  already  caused  you  to  do  so.  Has  it  ? 
If  not  the  minds  of  all,  then  perhaps  of  four,  or  three, 
or  two,  or  the  mind  of  one  ?  vSignify  it,  then,  O  my 
friends,  by  again  declaring  your  opinions  on  this  most 
important  matter. 

Quail. —  I  move  that  we  defer  final  action  on  the 
proposition  of  the  president  until  the  next  regular 
meetins:. 


3IO 


Let  There  Be  Light 


The  motion  was  seconded  and  carried. 

Moore. — I  move  that  we  do  now  adjourn,  and  that 
we  discontinue  the  meetings  until  after  the  summer 
months,  and  that  we  hold  our  next  regular  meeting  on 
Wednesday  evening,  September  20th. 

The  motion  was  seconded  and  carried. 


CHAPTER  XL 


FAITH   AND    REASON 


IN  spite  of  the  fact  that  Dorothy  had  listened  v»^ith 
close  attention  to  all  that  was  said  during  these  last 
protracted  sessions  of  the  club,  she  made  no  comments 
of  any  sort.  Nor  did  she  refer  to  the  debate  until  the 
Tuesday  following,  when,  shortly  after  breakfast,  she 
entered  the  library  and  took  a  seat  near  my  desk. 

"  I  have  come,  Joseph,"  she  began,  "  to  have  you 
make  it  all  clear  to  me. ' ' 

"  Make  what  clear  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  The  debate.     My  mind  is  all  confused." 

"  Oh,  well,"  I  said,  "  don't  take  it  so  seriously.  In 
time  your  confused  impression  will  wear  off,  and  you 
will  be  as  clear  as  ever. ' ' 

Dorothy  was  evidently  hurt  by  my  reply.  "  I  felt 
sure  you  could  help  me,"  she  said. 

I  leaned  back  in  my  chair,  and  was  silent  for  some 
minutes,  seeking  for  words  that  would  not  come.  At 
length  I  ventured  :  "  You  know,  Dorothy,  that  for  the 
most  of  my  life  I  have  paid  little  attention  to  the  ques- 
tion of  religion.  In  recent  years,  I  have  had  a  vague 
idea  that  there  was  some  element  of  truth  and  some  of 
error  in  every  religion.     Which  was  truth  and  which 

311 


312  Let  There  Be  Light 

was  error  I  could  not  tell.  This  debate  only  brought 
out  the  more  clearl}'  my  uncertainty.  Herbert  Spen- 
cer begins  his  First  Principles  by  saying,  '  We  too 
often  forget  that  not  only  is  there  a  soul  of  goodness  in 
things  evil,  but  very  generally  also,  a  soul  of  truth  in 
things  erroneous.'  " 

"  But,  Joseph,"  said  Dorothy,  "  surely  that  is  no 
solution.     It  only  increases  ni}^  perplexity." 

"  How  can  I  solve  a  problem  that  has  not  been  solved 
b}'  the  wisest  theologians?"  I  replied.  "  As  I  said, 
do  not  take  it  so  seriously.  We  must  bear  in  mind 
that  we  can  make  of  life  a  tragedy  or  a  comedy.  Why 
should  we  borrow  trouble  and  burden  our  minds  with 
perplexities  when  there  is  no  need  ?  " 

Dorothy,  as  if  relieved  by  my  reply,  rose  and  walked 
toward  the  door.  But  she  had  taken  only  a  few  steps 
when  she  hesitated,  then  stopped  short,  sank  upon  a 
chair  and  burst  into  tears. 

"  Oh,  Joseph,"  she  said,  amid  sobs,  "  I  am  so  sorry 
we  heard  those  debates  !  They  have  taken  from  me 
my  faith,  and  have  given  me  nothing  in  its  place.  You 
are  a  man,"  she  continued,  more  calmly,  as  she  pressed 
her  handkerchief  to  her  eyes,  "  and  your  will  is  strong. 
I  am  only  a  woman.  I  need,  my  nature  craves,  spirit- 
ual faith  and  spiritual  guidance.  I  feel  that  I  should 
be  unhappy  if  I  were  cast  adrift,  without  that  hope,  that 
consolation,  that  guidance,  which  come  from  perfect 
faith  in  God." 

"  Why  should  you  not  have  perfect  faith  in  God  ?  " 
I  asked.  "  Was  anything  said  at  the  meetings  which 
disturbed  your  faith  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  vshe  answered,  resuming  her  seat  near  me. 
"  Don't  you  remember  what  that  fierce-looking  Mr. 
Fisher  said  ?     What  sport  he  made  of  the  most  sacred 


Faith  and  Reason  313 

objects  of  belief  !  How  he  scorned  and  laughed  at  God  ! 
Don't  you  remember  how  the  man  Bradley  accused  the 
evangelical  churches  of  idolatry  ?  Don't  you  remember 
the  logic  of  the  Jew  Ezra,  who  by  some  diabolical  art 
proved  the  Bible  to  be  unintelligible  and  untrust- 
worthy ? ' ' 

"But,  my  dear  Dorothy,"  I  repHed,  "you  forget 
that  these  men  were  debating,  each  seeking  victory  for 
his  own  cause  ;  and  we  must  not  overlook  the  fact  that 
in  no  instance,  so  far  as  I  can  remember,  did  one  of 
them  quote  any  authority  to  substantiate  his  assertions. 
May  not  Uncle  Harry  be  right,  after  all  ?  Shall  we 
take  the  bare  statements  of  a  number  of  irresponsible 
workingmen  as  of  equal  weight  with  the  highest  au- 
thority in  the  world  ?  Look  around  you  here,"  I  said, 
pointing  to  the  books  scattered  about  the  room.  "  You 
remember  we  some  time  ago  decided  to  take  up  the 
subject  of  religion  as  a  study  ?  Why  should  you  feel 
in  this  way  before  we  begin  ?  There  is  no  need  for 
your  present  state  of  mind.  We  are  still  to  be  here  for 
a  week  or  two  before  we  leave  for  the  summer,  and  this 
time  we  can  devote  to  study." 

"  I  should  prefer  to  give  our  summer  vacation  to  this 
study,"  said  Dorothy,  seriously,  "  instead  of  going  to 
any  fashionable  resort." 

"  A  capital  idea  !  "  said  I.  "  And  if  we  are  to  em- 
ploy our  vacation  for  this  purpose,  I  can  think  of  no 
place  that  will  afford  us  better  opportunity  for  uninter- 
rupted study  than  the  little  cottage  in  Maine  where  I 
have  sometimes  spent  my  summers.  You  remember 
the  spot,  about  two  miles  from  Castine.  I  will  tele- 
graph to-day,  if  you  like,  and  see  if  we  can  have 
it." 

"  Do  so,  please,"  replied  Dorothy.     "  That  will  suit 


314  Let  There  Be  Light 

me  perfectly.  Then  we  will  look  over  the  books  and 
select  what  we  need  to  take  with  us." 

Accordingly  it  was  thus  arranged.  I  secured  the 
cottage,  made  the  necessary  arrangements  for  our  stay, 
and  wrote  my  uncle  and  aunt,  informing  them  of  our 
plans.  On  Saturday,  May  27th,  we  took  the  boat  for 
Boston,  remained  in  that  city  until  Tuesday,  and  pro- 
ceeded thence  to  Castine,  where  everything  had  been 
made  ready  to  receive  us. 

The  cases  of  books  reached  us  the  day  after  our 
arrival  ;  and,  having  unpacked  them,  and  having  ar- 
ranged one  of  our  rooms  as  a  sort  of  study,  we  were 
ready  to  begin  our  work.  And  the  question  at  once 
arose,  how  to  begin  ?  Should  we  begin  with  the  Bible 
and  the  commentaries,  or  with  the  history  of  the  Re- 
formation and  with  criticisms  ?  We  finally  decided 
to  begin  with  the  Bible. 

We  had  reached,  in  our  reading,  the  end  of  the  first 
chapter  in  Genesis,  when  Doroth}'  asked,  "  Do  you 
think  the  word  '  day  '  means  a  day  of  twenty-four 
hours,  or  does  it  mean  '  an  age  '  ?  " 

"  It  seems  to  me  to  mean  '  an  age,'  "  I  replied. 

"  How  do  you  know  ?  " 

"  I  can  give  no  authority,"  said  I;  "  it  is  simply  my 
opinion." 

"  Can  j^outell  me,"  she  continued,  "  how  trees  could 
grow  before  there  was  any  sun  ?  " 

"  Did  they?  "  I  asked. 

"  You  read  that  on  the  third  day  God  created 
trees,  —  vegetation  ;  but  this  was  before  there  was  a 
sun." 

"  Well,"  I  said,  "  if  the  word  '  day  '  means  twenty- 
four  hours,  it  would  seem  to  me  quite  as  possible  for 
vegetation  to  exist  for  a  few  hours  without  a  sun  at 


Faith  and  Reason  315 

that  time  as  now;  but  if  it  means '  age,'  then  the  vege- 
tation must  have  been  of  the  kind  that  grew  in  the  car- 
boniferous period,  when  the  earth  was  still  heated  and 
when  the  air  was  filled  with  carbon." 

"  I  see  a  few  objections  to  both  theories,"  observed 
Dorothy. 

"  What  are  they  ?  " 

"  These  :  If  '  day  '  means  twenty-four  hours,  then 
vegetation  could  not  have  existed  a  single  moment  on 
the  earth,  for  the  prior  absence  of  the  sun  would  indi- 
cate the  absence  of  heat.  The  earth's  temperature 
would  have  been  below  zero,  and  plants  could  not  have 
lived  or  remained  green.  Again,  if '  day  '  means  '  age,' 
and  the  vegetation  created  was  like  that  of  the  carbon- 
iferous period,  where  did  our  vegetation  come  from  ? ' ' 

"  I  suppose  it  was  evolved  from  low  types." 

' '  But  that  is  the  evolutionary  theory ;  and  if  evolution 
is  admitted  in  this  instance,  it  cannot  be  denied  in 
others. ' ' 

"  I  do  not  deny  evolution,"  said  I  ;  "do  you  ?  " 

"  How  can  I  admit  it,  and  still  be  a  believing  Christ- 
ian ?  ' '  she  asked. 

"  I  fail  to  see  why  you  cannot.  I  cannot  see  where 
Jesus  prohibited  the  belief  in  evolution,  nor  do  I  re- 
member that  He  ever  taught  that  we  must  believe  in 
Genesis." 

"  You  forget,"  Dorothy  replied,  "  that  Genesis  is 
the  foundation  of  the  Christian  Church.  If  Genesis  be 
no  longer  accepted  as  a  link  in  Revelation,  the  entire 
structure  of  the  Christian  Church  falls  to  the  ground. 
The  very  reason  for  the  incarnation  and  suffering  of 
Jesus  is  given  in  Genesis.  He  came  to  atone  for  the 
sin  of  Adam.  If  now  we  deny  the  validity  of  Genesis, 
we  destroy  the  reason  for  the  coming  of  Jesus  and  for 


3i6  Let  There  Be  Light 

His  sufFeriiig.  This  once  admitted,  we  destroy  Christ- 
ianity." 

"  Well,  then,"  I  said,  "  why  need  you  deny  it  ?  If 
you  feel  any  comfort  in  believing  in  Genesis,  and 
thereby  preserving  your  faith  in  Christianity  intact, 
why  concern  yourself  with  other  theories  that  might 
tend  to  destroy  that  faith  ?  " 

"Joseph,  I  am  surprised  at  you!"  exclaimed 
Dorothy.  "  I  never  heard  you  talk  in  this  way  before. 
Your  last  argument  seemed  as  if  it  came  from  a  thor- 
ough Jesuit,  instead  of  from  my  own  husband." 

"  What  else  can  I  say  ?  "  I  asked.  "  Your  words 
led  me  to  believe  that  you  could  not  rest  content  with- 
out faith;  and  now,  when  I  ask  you  to  have  faith,  you 
call  me  Jesuit." 

"  But  how  can  I  have  faith,"  said  .she,  earnestly,  "  so 
long  as  I  cannot  reconcile  my  reason  with  that  faith  ?  " 

"  That  reminds  me,"  I  remarked,  "  of  another  in- 
stance of  things  we  cannot  reconcile.  You  remember 
that  when  we  had  come  home,  after  the  eviction  of  the 
Schubert  family,  you  told  me  you  could  not  reconcile  hu- 
manity and  business  ;  or,  to  put  it  in  your  own  words, 
you  could  not  '  make  them  fit.'     Do  you  remember  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  she  replied,  "  I  remember." 

"  Well,  then,  here  are  two  instances  where  things 
cannot  be  reconciled ;  you  cannot '  make  them  fit.'  And 
the  things  are,  faith  and  reason,  and  business  and 
humanity." 

"  But  may  it  not  be,  after  all,"  added  Dorothy,  "  that 
these  things  do  fit,  and  that  I  am  unable  to  make  them 
fit  simply  because  I  am  not  in  possession  of  the  truth, 
because  I  am  ignorant  ?  " 

"  That  question  is  the  reason  for  our  study,"  I 
answered.     "  We    need    hardly    expect    to    reach    a 


Faith  and  Reason  317 

conclusion  as  yet,  for  we  have  read  but  one  chapter 
in  the  Bible.  However,  it  is  time  to  lay  our  study 
aside  for  the  evening.  We  can  resume  it  to-morrow 
where  we  left  off  to-day." 

Our  morning  drive,  the  following  day,  took  us  to 
Castine,  where,  after  doing  various  errands,  we  pro- 
ceeded to  the  post-ofl&ce  to  give  orders  concerning  our 
mail.  There  we  were  surprised  to  perceive,  among  a 
group  of  gentlemen,  an  acquaintance  of  ours,  a  Mr. 
Harvey,  who  had  been  an  occasional  caller  at  our  house 
in  New  York.  He  immediately  advanced  to  greet  us, 
and,  after  a  brief  conversation,  begged  to  present  to  us 
a  friend  of  his,  a  clergyman,  who  formed  one  of  his 
party.  This  gentleman  he  brought  up,  and  introduced 
as  the  Rev.  Dr.  Carroll,  of  Brooklyn. 

"  Dr.  Carroll  finds  it  quite  a  relief,"  observed  Mr. 
Harvey,  "  to  come  up  here  where  he  can  lay  aside  the 
harness,  if  only  for  a  short  time. ' ' 

"  No  doubt  the  Doctor  deserves  his  vacation,"  I  re- 
marked. "  My  wdfe  and  I  are  here  for  quite  a  different 
purpose.     We  have  come  to  put  the  harness  on." 

' '  Indeed !  ' '  said  the  minister.  ' '  Does  not  your  busi- 
ness allow  you  freedom  for  the  summer  ?  " 

"It  is  not  business,"  I  replied.  "  My  wife  and  I 
are  studying  theology." 

"  Ah  !     So  you  are  a  clergyman." 

"  No,  Doctor.  M}^  wife  and  I  are  simply  trying  to 
find  the  solution  to  some  questions  that  have  presented 
themselves  to  us.  We  purpose  devoting  much  of  our 
time,  during  our  stay  here,  to  the  inquiry." 

"  Have  j-ou  brought  any  books  with  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  quite  a  number." 

* '  Perhaps  I  may  be  of  use  to  you  in  5'our  investigation. 
If  so,  I  hope  you  will  allow  me  to  offer  my  services." 


3i8  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  Thank  you,  Doctor.  I  think  we  shall  take  advan- 
tage of  your  kind  proposal." 

"  I  am  sure  we  shall,"  added  Dorothy.  "  And 
we  shall  be  very  glad  to  see  you  at  our  house.  Can- 
not you  and  Mr.  Harvey  dine  with  us  some  day 
soon  ?  " 

"  I  must  leave  here  to-morrow,"  observed  Mr.  Har- 
vey ;  "  but  if  you  are  to  be  at  home  this  afternoon,  I 
will  take  that  opportunity  to  call  on  you." 

"Do  so,"  said  Dorothy.  "  And  if  Dr.  Carroll  has 
no  other  plans,  and  will  come  with  you,  I  hope  you  will 
both  stay  and  take  dinner  with  us." 

Our  invitation  was  accepted,  we  bade  the  gentlemen 
good-bye  and  resumed  our  drive.  "  How  fortunate 
that  we  met  the  Doctor  !  "  exclaimed  Dorothy.  "  No 
doubt  he  will  be  of  the  greatest  help  to  us." 

Late  in  the  afternoon  our  visitors  arrived.  After 
some  casual  conversation  Dorothy  introduced  the  sub- 
ject uppermost  in  her  mind  by  asking,  "  Doctor,  what 
do  you  think  of  the  books  we  have  selected  ?  " 

The  clergyman  rose,  went  to  the  shelves  and  glanced 
over  the  titles  of  the  books.  "  A  very  fair  collection," 
he  said.  "  Is  there  an}'  special  point  on  which  you 
wish  to  be  informed  ?  " 

"  I  can  hardly  tell  you  that  without  giving  an  out- 
line of  the  circumstances  that  led  us  to  take  up  our 
study,"  replied  Dorothy.  "Joseph,  will  you  explain 
the  situation  to  the  Doctor  ?  I  think  you  will  be  able 
to  make  it  clearer  than  I  could." 

Accordingly  I  related  briefly  the  story  of  our  connec- 
tion with  the  club,  dwelling  particularly  upon  the  de- 
bate and  its  effect  on  Doroth}'.  The  Doctor  listened 
attentivel)'.  As  I  concluded,  dinner  was  announced, 
and  we  rose  to  enter  the  dining-room. 


Faith  and  Reason  319 

During  dinner  our  conversation  touched  only  upon 
indifferent  matters,  but  upon  our  return  to  the  sitting- 
room,  after  the  conclusion  of  the  meal,  Dr.  Carroll 
resumed  consideration  of  the  principal  subject  by  ob- 
serving :  "  I  am  more  than  surprised  at  what  you  have 
told  me.  In  the  first  place,  I  can  hardly  understand 
how  you  found  it  compatible  with  your  position  to 
attend  these  meetings  of  workingmen.  It  is  true  that 
some  persons  socially  prominent  do  such  things,  but, 
as  a  rule,  there  is  an  ulterior  motive  of  business  or 
politics  concealed  behind  their  apparent  fraternity. 
Even  then,  it  is  the  man  who  does  so,  never  the  womm. 
In  this  case,  however,  there  is  an  entire  absence  of  in- 
terested purpose,  and  you  are  both  actuated  by  the 
highest  motives  of  humanity. 

"  So  far,  you  deserve  to  be  highly  complimented. 
In  following  the  dictates  of  your  hearts  and  souls,  you 
are  rare  exceptions  to  the  general  rule.  I  may  almost 
say  that  your  action  stands  without  a  parallel  in  this  re- 
spect. Your  hearts  and  souls,  then,  are  of  the  highest 
order.  But  affairs  of  the  head  are  to  be  looked  at  from 
another  point  of  view,  and  from  this  point  of  view  I 
think  your  action  a  mistake.  Do  not  let  me  be  mis- 
understood. I  do  not  toady  to  the  rich.  I  am  in  hearty 
sympathy  with  the  poor.  The  best  years  of  my  life 
have  been  devoted  to  efforts  for  the  amelioration  of  the 
condition  of  the  poor.  I  am  well  acquainted  with  the 
hardships  and  the  trials  of  poverty.  I  ought  to  know, 
for  I  came  from  the  ranks  of  the  poor  myself;  and,  be- 
sides, the  congregation  of  which  I  am  a  minister  is 
largely  composed  of  mechanics.  Labour  for  the 
amelioration  of  poverty  I  therefore  deem  a  great  and 
noble  work.  Such  labour  is  one  thing  ;  as.sociation 
with  the  rabble  on  a  plane  of  equality  is  another.     And 


320  Let  There  Be  Light 

association  with  that  nucleus  of  harm  known  as  a  work- 
ingman's  social  club  is  positively  dangerous. 

"  In  these  clubs  there  is  a  constant  babble  of  talk, 
without  restraint  of  respect  for  law,  without  regard  for 
the  sacredness  of  religion.  These  barbarous  gather- 
ings indicate,  more  clearly  than  any  other  thing,  the 
great  depth  of  degradation  to  which  things  seemingly 
human  may  descend.  But  even  here,  in  these  dens  of 
vice,  in  these  broad  avenues  to  perdition,  there  seems 
to  lurk  some  remnant  of  shame.  This  gesticulating 
and  almost  soulless  mass  of  savagery,  as  if  to  justify  its 
unbridled  licence,  seeks  to  put  on  the  garb  of  reason 
and  logic.  As  a  further  cloak  to  its  wanton  audacity, 
it  proposes  a  plan  for  some  impracticable  and  impossi- 
ble Utopia.  Experience  and  unrestrained  impudence 
have  given  these  fellows  a  skill  in  sophistical  argument, 
which  is  in  the  highest  degree  dangerous  when  em- 
ployed on  the  simple  and  the  susceptible. 

"  What  I  have  said  does  not,  of  course,  apply  to 
workingmen's  trades  organisations,  but  refers  to  those 
social  organisations  where  anarchy  and  socialism  form 
the  staple  theme  and  motive." 

"  But,  Doctor,"  said  Dorothy,  "  the  members  of  the 
club  to  which  we  refer  seem  to  be  earnest,  well-behaved 
and  thoughtful." 

"  That  may  be  true,"  replied  Dr.  Carroll,  "  and  again 
it  may  not  be.  It  is  highly  probable  that  your  presence 
at  these  meetings  had  an  influence  ;  and  that  during 
the  time  j'ou  were  there  they  adroitly  concealed  from 
you  that  outward  coarseness  which  would  have  driven 
you  from  thence  at  once.  In  their  natural  state  of 
coarseness  they  are  least  dangerous  as  disseminators 
of  contagion  ;  it  is  only  when  they  are  able  to  conceal 
what  they  really  are  that  they  are  most  dangerous." 


Faith  and  Reason  321 

"Judging  from  my  own  observations,"  I  said,  "  I 
think  your  judgment  of  these  men  is  much  severer  than 
they  deserve." 

"I  am  also  inclined  to  disagree  with  Dr.  Carroll," 
remarked  Mr.  Harvey.  "  I  believe  that  many  of  these 
men  are  earnest  and  thoughtful,  zealous  for  what  they 
believe  to  be  the  truth.  Over-vehement,  it  is  true,  but 
even  this  quality  is  excusable,  seeing  that  they  try  to 
convince  minds  so  primitive.  Such  minds  require  ve- 
hemence and  gesticulation  in  order  that  an  idea  pre- 
sented may  make  an  impression,  however  blurred  the 
form  in  which  it  may  be  perceived.  If  we  investigate, 
I  believe  we  shall  find  that  almost  all  reforms  in  the 
political  and  social  world  originated,  and  were  at  the 
start  promulgated,  by  just  such  men. 

' '  It  may  have  been  Spartacus,  the  Roman  slave, ' '  con- 
tinued Mr.  Harvey,  "  who  gave  the  impulse  that  in  the 
end  destroyed  slavery.  The  Roman  agitators  for  agrar- 
ianism  may  have  instigated  the  work  that  resulted  in  the 
abolition  of  feudalism.  The  Hebrew  prophet  was  in  his 
day  generally  looked  upon  as  an  innovator  and  a  social 
leveller.  And  there  is  no  doubt  at  all  that  Jesus  and 
His  disciples,  during  the  time  of  their  earthly  labours, 
were  considered  in  that  light  by  the  conservative  Jews. 
In  view  of  all  these  facts,  it  is  hardly  fair  to  pass  so 
sweeping  a  judgment  upon  the  members  of  this  club." 

"  Well,"  replied  Dr.  Carroll,  "  the  proof  of  the  truth 
may  be  found  in  experience.  That  the  instances  cited 
and  the  conclusions  drawn  by  Mr.  Harvey  may  be  true, 
I  do  not  deny;  but  it  need  not  necessarily  follow  that 
what  I  have  said  is  not  also  true.  Let  me  give  you  an 
illustration. 

"  A  few  years  ago,  shortly  after  I  had  accepted  the 
call  to  the  church  of  which  I  am  now  minister,  I  had 


322  Let  There  Be  Light 

occasion  to  observe  a  young  man,  a  mechanic,  who  was 
a  member  of  my  church.  He  seemed  an  honest,  sober 
and  industrious  young  man.  As  he  had  a  good  voice, 
I  induced  him  to  join  the  church  choir,  and  I  took 
more  than  merely  personal  interest  in  his  spiritual  wel- 
fare. In  course  of  time,  however,  I  noticed  that  he  be- 
came irregular  in  his  attendance  at  services.  I  spoke 
to  him  about  it,  and  for  a  time  he  continued  coming 
regularly.  He  soon,  however,  began  to  come  irregu- 
larly again,  and  finally  he  did  not  come  at  all.  As  he 
had  removed  from  the  neighbourhood,  I  lost  track  of 
him  altogether.  One  day,  unexpectedly,  I  met  him  in 
the  street.  '  Why  do  you  not  come  to  church  any 
more  ? '  I  asked.  He  hesitated  for  a  moment,  and  then 
said,  '  Because  I  have  no  longer  any  faith  in  religion.' 
'  How  is  that  ?  '  I  asked,  in  astonishment.  '  Oh,  well,' 
he  replied,  '  I  have  cut  my  eye  teeth  ;  I  am  a  member 
of  the  "  Liberal  Club,"  and  we  have  no  use  for  religion.' 
"  *  Will  you  come  to  my  study,'  I  said,  '  and  we  will 
talk  the  matter  over? '  '  No,  thank  you,'  he  replied, 
and  walked  off.  Turning  suddenly,  he  came  back,  and 
added,  '  If  you  wish,  I  can  have  you  invited  to  address 
the  club.'  Believing  that  this  might  be  instrumental 
in  bringitig  him  back  to  Christ,  I  told  him  that  I  would 
speak  if  invited.  A  short  time  thereafter  I  received  an 
invitation,  and  I  prepared  an  address  for  the  occasion. 
At  the  appointed  time  I  went  to  the  place  of  meeting, 
which  I  found  to  be  a  dingy,  foul-smelling,  poorly- 
lighted  room,  situated  over  a  saloon.  The  audience 
consisted  of  a  motley  crew  of  riff-raff ;  red  flags  were 
conspicuously  displayed,  and  the  air  was  filled  with 
clouds  of  rank-smelling  tobacco  smoke  which,  together 
with  the  new  sawdust  with  which  the  floor  was  covered, 
produced  an  odour  almost  unbearable. 


Faith  and  Reason  323 

"  The  exercises  of  the  evening  began  with  a  few  re- 
marks of  the  chairman,  in  which  were  jumbled  together 
vile  references  to  religion  together  with  base  aspersions 
upon  the  law  and  the  nation.  These  remarks  concluded, 
a  woman  arose  and,  waving  a  red  flag,  began  singing 
some  wild  revolutionary  stanzas  to  the  tune  of  the  Mar- 
seilles Hymn.  This  seemed  to  arouse  much  enthusiasm ; 
the  men  arose,  and  in  a  vehement,  boisterous  manner 
joined  in  the  chorus.  This  finished,  a  nervous,  sallow- 
featured  man  delivered  a  '  fiv^e-minutes'  talk,'  for  which 
he  should,  in  my  opim'on,  have  been  confined  in  a  jail 
or  in  a  lunatic  asylum.  It  was,  however,  received  with 
vociferous  and  tumultuous  applause.  The  chairman 
then  arose  and  introduced  me  as  '  the  speaker  of  the 
evening.'  What  I  said  was  received  in  respectful 
silence.  Having  concluded  my  remarks  by  an  ex- 
hortation, I  was  about  to  take  my  departure,  when  the 
chairman  said  to  me,  '  Will  you  not  remain  for  the  re- 
sponses., and  to  answer  the  questions  ?  '  '  Very  well,' 
I  replied,  '  I  will  remain.'  Several  persons  thereupon 
arose  simultaneously,  in  various  parts  of  the  room,  and 
each,  as  he  received  permission  to  speak,  opened  out  a 
torrent  of  vile  detraction  of  religion,  so  vile  and  ob- 
scene, indeed,  as  to  make  even  the  word  blasphemy 
seem  innocent.  When  a  certain  number  had  spoken 
in  this  strain,  they  began  the  '  questions.' 

"  For  a  few  moments  I  stood  up  and  tried  to  answer, 
but  finally,  perceiving  that  this  was  a  real  Sodom,  an 
actual  Gomorrah,  I  hastily  left  the  hall,  followed  by 
cat-calls,  jeers  and  laughter. 

"  By  what  process  of  thought  can  we  connect  fre- 
quenters of  such  brutal  gatherings  with  the  true  re- 
formers ?     If  there  be  any  connection,  I  fail  to  see  it. 

"  A  few  months  thereafter  I  was  surprised  to  receive 


324  Let  There  Be  Light 

a  visit  from  the  mother  of  the  young  man  of  whom  I 
have  spoken.  Amid  sobs,  she  begged  of  me  to  go  with 
her  to  the  police  court  to  say  a  few  words  as  to  the 
former  good  character  of  her  son,  who  was  under  ar- 
rest, and  on  trial  on  the  charge  of  manslaughter.  I 
went,  and  was  instrumental  in  having  the  sentence 
mitigated. 

"  How  could  I,  therefore,  view  your  attendance  at 
such  a  club  but  with  surprise  ?  " 

"  I  am  still  of  opinion,  Doctor,"  I  said,  "  that  you  are 
in  error  as  to  the  character  of  the  men  composing  this 
club.  You  have  known  me  only  since  this  morning, 
but  even  from  that  short  acquaintance  you  would  surely 
conclude  that  I  would  not  attend  the  kind  of  meeting 
you  describe, —  least  of  all  would  I  take  my  wife  there. 
I  tell  you,  Doctor,  that  the  men  composing  the  Twen- 
tieth Century  Club  are  orderly,  law-abiding,  intelligent 
American  citizens,  as  patriotic  as  you  or  I  ;  and,  I  do 
not  hesitate  to  admit  frankly,  much  higher  in  the  scale 
of  intelligence  than  I  am. 

"  Here,"  I  continued,  "  you  may  judge  for  your- 
self"; and,  going  to  the  bureau,  I  took  from  thence  a 
copy  of  the  report  of  the  last  debate,  and  handed  it  to 
him.  The  Doctor  took  the  report  and  began  to  scan 
its  contents  rapidly.  In  a  moment  or  two  he  ex- 
claimed: "  I  thought  so,"  and,  turning  the  page  down, 
he  read,  "  O  Baal,  O  Moloch  of  old,  how  puny,  how 
feeble,  how  insignificant  were  your  bloody  stipends, 
when  measured  by  the  carnivorous,  omnivorous,  in- 
satiable appetite  of  this  personified  cruelty  !  "  "  Yes, ' ' 
he  said,  "  the  adjectives  are  here,  almost  identically  as 
I  heard  them  at  the  Liberal  Club." 

"  Your  criticism  is  hardly  fair,"  observed  Dorothy; 
"  for  other  statements  by  the  same  speaker  are  in  a. 


Faith  and  Reason  325 

less  vehement  tone.  Besides,  there  are  other  speakers 
whose  remarks  are  conservative  and  even  orthodox." 

"  Dr.  Carroll,"  said  I,  "I  should  be  glad  to  have 
you  criticise  the  summary  of  the  last  speaker,  especially 
from  propositions  one  to  seven  inclusive." 

"  Very  well,"  he  replied  ;  "  but  in  order  that  I  may 
do  so  to  the  best  advantage,  may  I  ask  you  to  lend  me 
this  copy  for  a  few  days  ?  I  will  return  it  with  my 
comments." 

"  Certainly.  Return  it  at  your  convenience,"  I  said. 
The  Doctor  thanked  me,  rolled  up  the  report,  placed  it 
in  his  pocket  and  rose.  Mr.  Harvey  rose  also,  and  in 
a  few  moments  both  visitors  had  departed. 

On  Friday  morning  we  received  a  note  from  Dr. 
Carroll  to  announce  that,  if  convenient  to  us,  he  would 
call  on  Saturday.  "  I  have  prepared  a  complete  refu- 
tation of  the  propositions  contained  in  your  club  re- 
port," he  went  on  to  sa\',  "  and  you  may  rest  assured, 
my  dear  friends,  that  your  faith  wall  be  completely  re- 
stored—  I  even  hope  that  it  may  be  strengthened." 

"  How  glad  I  am  that  we  had  the  good  fortune  to 
meet  the  Doctor  !  "  exclaimed  Dorothy,  as  she  laid 
down  the  note. 

The  following  afternoon  the  clergyman  was  an- 
nounced, and  my  wife,  whose  face  bore  an  expression 
of  happiness  and  content,  went  forward  and  greeted 
him  cordially.  We  all  proceeded  to  the  study,  and 
were  scarcely  seated  when  the  Doctor,  drawing  from 
his  pocket  the  report,  began  :  "  I  must  first  acknow- 
ledge an  error  in  my  judgment  of  the  men  composing 
the  club.  The  report  leads  me  to  accept  your  version, 
and  to  believe  that  these  are  studious  and  intelligent 
men,  above  the  average  for  workingmen. 

"  But  we  must  not  conclude  that  they,  or  any  of 


326  Let  There  Be  Light 

them,  are  to  be  accepted  as  authority.  They  give  but 
their  own  opinions  ;  and  in  so  weighty  a  matter  per- 
sonal opinion  is  of  little  value  —  no,  not  even  the  opin- 
ion of  one  who  has  devoted  a  lifetime  to  the  study  of 
theology.  Of  how  much  less  value,  then,  is  the  opinion 
of  men  who  have  spent  the  greater  part  of  their  lives 
in  daily  labour,  as  mechanics  !  And  now  to  the  proposi- 
tions one  to  seven  in  the  summary  of  the  last  speaker  : 

"  The  first  is  as  follows  :  '  That  Christianity  and 
Judaism  were  derived  from  the  various  interpretations 
of  the  Bible.' 

"  This  is  true  of  Christianity  only  in  a  limited  sense, 
and  so  far  as  some  quotations  from  the  Old  Testament 
are  concerned.  It  would  be  nearer  the  truth  to  say 
that  both  systems  are  the  result  of  revelation.  Christ 
came  on  earth  for  the  express  purpose  of  manifest- 
ing His  will.  This  will  is  manifest  in  Christianity. 
Christ  established  His  Church  on  earth  before  there 
were  any  such  books  as  the  New  Testament.  This 
Church  could  not,  therefore,  have  been  founded  on  in- 
terpretations of  the  books  of  the  New  Testament,  be- 
cause no  such  books  were  in  existence  at  the  time. 

"  Second  :  '  That  the  Bible  is  composed  of  inter- 
mingled portions  of  inspiration,  ethics,  history,  tradi- 
tion, allegory  and  parable.' 

"  That  is  true. 

"  Third  :  '  That  these  portions  are  so  interwoven  as 
to  make  it  almost  impossible  to  distinguish  between 
fact  and  allegory.' 

"  That  is  not  true,  for  what  is  given  as  allegory  or 
parable  is  stated  to  be  such,  and  there  is  no  room  for 
any  misconception.  This  remark,  of  course,  likewise 
answers  the  fourth  proposition. 

"  Fifth  :  '  These  difl&culties  can  never  be  reconciled, 


Faith  and  Reason  327 

because  there  was  no  grammar  of  the  ancient  Hebrew 
language,  nor  were  any  vowels  employed  ;  and  the 
vowels  now  supplied  are  of  recent  origin.  Beside 
which,  there  are  many  synonymous  words  in  ancient 
Hebrew.  This  difficulty  and  the  absence  of  vowels 
render  correct  translation  an  impossibility.' 

"  This  fifth  proposition  is  a  common  stock  argument 
of  atheists,  and  is  of  very  little  value.  It  is  true  that 
there  is  no  grammar  of  the  ancient  Hebrew  language  ; 
fortunately  there  is  no  necessity  for  one,  so  far  as  the 
authenticity  of  the  Bible  is  concerned.  The  Old  Testa- 
ment was  translated  into  Greek  several  centuries  before 
Christ,  in  the  version  known  as  the  Septuagint.  This 
translation  was  made  by  men  thoroughly  versed  in  He- 
brew and  Greek,  under  the  command  of  one  of  the 
Ptolemies.  That  the  translation  was  authentic  is  con- 
clusively shown  by  the  fact  that  the  Jews  in  Egypt 
acknowledged  it  as  of  equal  authority  with  the  original 
Hebrew  version. 

"  There  was  also  another  translation  into  Greek  made 
at  a  later  time  by  Aquila,  which  is  even  at  this  day  pro- 
nounced by  orthodox  Jews  as  authoritative.  All  this 
you  may  verify  from  the  articles  on  the  Bible  in  the 
Encyclopcedia  Britannica,  and  from  Chambers's  Encyclo- 
paedia, which  I  see  on  your  shelf 

"  If  my  statements  are  facts,  the}^  will,  of  course, 
likewise  refute  proposition  seven.  That  they  are  true 
is  evident  ;  for  to  say  that  these  translations  lack  au- 
thenticity on  account  of  lack  of  comprehension  of  an- 
cient Hebrew,  is  to  say  that  the  ancient  Hebrews  did 
not  understand  their  language. 

"  You  may  therefore  judge  for  yourself,  Mrs.  Morton, 
whether  you  should  take  seriously  what  was  said  at 
these  debates. ' ' 


3^8  Let  There  Be  Light 

My  wife  had  listened  with  intense  interest  as  the 
clergyman  proceeded.  To  the  question  with  which  he 
concluded  his  remarks  she  replied,  fervently:  "  I  thank 
you,  Doctor.  I  shall  always  be  under  obligations  to 
3^ou.     You  have  restored  my  faith." 

"  And  now,  Doctor,"  I  said,  "  since  I  wish  to  leave 
no  room  for  any  doubt  hereafter,  will  5'ou  be  kind 
enough  to  explain  a  difiBculty  which  confronted  us  in 
reading  the  first  chapter  in  Genesis  ?  We  read  there 
that  God  created  plant  life  the  day  before  He  created 
the  sun.     How  could  that  be  ?  " 

"  If  that  seems  wonderful  to  you,"  he  replied,  "  how 
much  more  wonderful  was  it  for  Him  to  create  any- 
thing !  Was  it  less  wonderful  to  create  an  insect,  an 
atom,  a  tree  or  a  world,  than  that  plants,  by  His  will, 
should  live  a  few  hours  without  the  sun  ? 

'*  In  accepting  this  suggestion,  do  not  for  one  moment 
labour  under  the  impression  that  you  are  forced  to  ac- 
cept what  some  term  transcendent  ideas,  while  science, 
on  the  other  hand,  offers  what  are  termed  rational  ideas. 
There  is  much  attraction  for  the  mind  in  what  is 
termed  '  rational,'  but  there  is  much  more  of  the 
rational  in  the  idea  of  creation  as  set  forth  in  the  Bible 
than  in  the  theory  of  creation  by  evolution,  or,  as  it 
is  termed,  the  nebular  hypothesis. 

*'  And  now,"  said  the  Doctor,  rising,  "  I  must  say 
good-bye.  I  leave  for  home  on  Monday,  and  I  have 
been  obliged  to  make  another  appointment  for  this 
afternoon." 

My  wife  and  I  again  thanked  him,  and  expressed  a 
desire  that  he  call  upon  us  in  New  York.  He  replied 
that  he  would  be  glad  to  do  so,  and  took  his  departure. 

"Well,  Dorothy,"  said  I,  as  Dr.  Carroll  left  the 
room,  "  have  your  difiiculties  been  removed  ?  " 


Faith  and  Reason 


329 


"  I  believe  as  firmly  now  as  I  did  before  attending 
the  meetings — more  firmly,"  she  replied.  "  Ever  since 
then,  I  have  been  living  in  a  sort  of  nightmare.  I  am 
glad  that  the  darkness  has  disappeared,  and  that  light 
has  come." 

Nothing  more  was  said,  and,  by  some  tacit  under- 
standing, we  discontinued  our  investigation  on  the  sub- 
ject of  religion  ;  and,  instead,  began  the  reading  of  a 
work  of  fiction. 


CHAPTER  XLI 


SOME   AUTHORITIES 


SOME  weeks  passed  without  special  incident,  until 
one  day  I  received  the  following  letter  : 

"New  York,  June  15,  1899. 
"  Mr.  Joseph  Morton, 

"Castine,  Maine. 
''Dear  Sir :  Euclosed  please  find  statement  of  the  Committee 
on  Charity,  also  a  report  of  the  work  done.  I  am  acting  as 
temporary  secretary,  as  Miss  Seiner  is  in  attendance  on  her 
brother  Ezra,  who  is  confined  to  his  room  with  fever.  He  was 
quite  low  last  week,  but  I  found  him  somewhat  improved  last 
night. 

"  He  told  me  to  inform  you  that  he  had  made  a  collection  of 
some  authorities  to  substantiate  the  views  which  he  set  forth  at 
the  meeting,  and  requested  me  to  send  them  to  you.  This  I 
have  done  by  to-day's  express. 

"  Yours  truly, 

"Frederick  Fisher, 

"  Temporary  Secretary. 

"P.S. — The  references  are  annotated,  and  the  pages  are 
turned  down." 

This  letter  I  read  aloud  to  Dorothy.  "  Don't  you 
think  we  have  had  enough  of  this  question  of  re- 
ligion ?  "  I  asked. 

330 


Some  Authorities  331 

"  Yes,"  she  answered.  "  I  would  rather  not  begin 
to  discuss  it  again." 

The  following  day,  as  I  was  about  leaving  the  house, 
a  package  arrived  which  seemed  to  be  the  one  men- 
tioned by  Fisher.  I  did  not  open  it,  but  left  it  in  the 
study  and  proceeded  on  my  walk.  I  was  gone  perhaps 
two  hours.  On  re-entering  the  house,  I  was  surprised 
to  find  Dorothy  sitting  at  the  study  table  absorbed  in 
reading.  Various  books  were  scattered  before  her,  and 
on  the  floor  at  her  side  lay  the  brown  paper  wrapping 
of  the  package. 

She  looked  up  as  I  entered.  "  I  opened  your  bun- 
dle," she  said.  "  I  wanted  to  see  what  was  in  it. 
Here  are  the  books.  You  may  take  them  ;  I  do  not 
want  them." 

"  Very  well,"  said  I.  "I  don't  care  for  them  either. 
I  will  wrap  them  up  and  return  them."  And  I 
gathered  them  together,  preparatory  to  making  up  the 
package. 

Dorothy  looked  on  meditatively.  "Joseph,"  she 
observed,  "  do  you  think  there  would  be  any  harm  in 
just  looking  over  the  titles  of  the  books,  or  in  reading 
a  few  of  the  marked  places  ?  ' ' 

"  I  would  rather  you  did  not." 

"Why?" 

"  Oh,  well,  because  I  prefer  not,"  I  said  ;  for  no  other 
reason  came  to  my  mind. 

"  You  are  unkind,  Joseph,"  she  replied,  in  a  voice 
tremulous  with  suppressed  emotion,  as  she  rose  and 
walked  toward  the  door. 

I  hurried  after  her,  and  took  her  hand.  "  Forgive 
me,  Dorothy,  for  seeming  rude  ;  but  the  truth  is,  I  am 
afraid  to  give  the  books  to  5'ou." 

"  Why  are  you  afraid  ?  "  she  asked.     "  Surely  our 


332  Let  There  Be  Light 

faith  must  be  built  on  a  very  weak  foundation  if  we  art 
afraid  to  look  at  a  few  books  for  fear  of  destroying  it. 
Besides,  I  did  not  like  your  way  of  refusing." 

"  Very  well,  Miss  Curiosity  ;  take  the  books.  But 
don't  blame  me  if  you  lose  your  faith  a  second  time." 

Dorothy  broke  out  into  sobbing.  "  No,  Joseph,  I 
will  not  touch  them  unless  you  read  them  with  me." 

"  Ah  !  "  said  I,  smiling  ;  "  so  j'ou  are  not  willing  to 
see  me  go  to  Heaven  alone.  If  this  diabolical  reading 
causes  5'ou  to  forfeit  your  right  to  Heaven,  you  want 
my  company  in  the  other  place.  Very  well,  I  am  yours 
here,  and  shall  be  5'ours  in  either  place  hereafter." 

"  How  funny  you  are,  Joseph !  "  she  said,  as  she  dried 
her  eyes  and  came  over  to  seat  herself  beside  me  at  the 
table. 

I  picked  up  the  book  that  lay  nearest  me,  and,  open- 
ing it  at  random.,  read  ; 

"All  untrammelled  scientific  investigation,  no  matter  how 
dangerous  to  religion  some  of  its  stages  may  have  seemed  for 
the  time  to  be,  has  invariably  resulted  in  the  highest  good  both 
of  religion  and  of  science." 

"  Who  wrote  that  ?  "  asked  Dorothy. 

I  looked  at  the  title-page.  ' '  Andrew  Dickson  White, 
in  The  Warfare  of  Science  with  Theology." 

"  That  seems  harmless  enough,"  she  remarked  ; 
"  read  some  others." 

I  took  up  another  book,  and  opened  it  at  the  page 
turned  down.  There  I  observed  the  following  note  in 
pencil  :  "Authority  to  prove  the  correctness  of  proposi- 
tions one  to  seven  inclusive,  in  my  closing  remarks." 

"  Why  !  "  cried  Dorothy,  in  startled  surprise,  "  those 
are  the  propositions  that  were  submitted  to  Dr.  Carroll." 

"Yes,"  I  replied.  "  If  Ezra  can  sustain  his  position, 
it  will  overthrow  the  defence  of  the  Doctor." 


Some  Authorities  333 

"  Can  he,  do  you  think  ?  "  asked  Dorothy,  in  excite- 
ment.    "  But  please  read,"  she  added,  nervously. 

"Besides  the  causes  of  ambiguity  commou  toaud  inherent  in 
all  languages,  there  are  certain  others,  peculiar  to  the  Hebrew, 
from  which  many  extraordinary  difficulties  arise. 

"For  example,  Alpha,  Ghet,  Ghain,  He,  are  called  gutturals, 
and  without  any  distinction,  any  at  all  events  known  to  us,  are 
used  one  for  another.  El,  again,  which  generally  signifies  to, 
towards,  is  often  used  for  hgal,  which  commonly  means  above, 
and  vice  versd  ;  whence  it  comes  that  the  whole  of  a  sentence  is 
often  rendered  of  doubtful  import,  or  made  to  look  as  if  it  had 
no  meaning  at  all. 

"A  second  source  of  ambiguity  exists  in  the  numerous  mean- 
ings that  are  attached  to  the  Hebrew  conjunctions  and  adverbs. 
For  example,  Vau  serves  indifferently  for  conjunction  and  dis- 
junction, and  signifies  but,  because,  then,  and  however.  Ki 
has  seven  or  eight  significations  :  wherefore,  although,  if,  when, 
inasmuch,  as,  because,  combustion,  etc.;  and  so  almost  of  all 
particles. 

"The  third  source  of  doubt,  and  it  is  a  very  fertile  one,  con- 
sists in  this,  that  in  the  indicative  mood,  verbs  want  the  present 
tense,  the  preterite  imperfect,  the  preter-phi perfect,  the  future 
perfect,  and  various  other  tenses  of  most  common  use  in  other 
languages  ;  in  the  imperative  and  infinitive  moods,  verbs  have 
nothing  but  the  present,  and  they  are  altogether  without  the 
subjunctive." 

"  What  is  this  quoted  from  ?  "  inquired  Dorothy. 

"  From  the  Tradatus,  b}^  Spinoza,"  I  replied. 

"  Is  he  regarded  as  a  writer  of  authority  ?  " 

"  Let  us  see,"  I  said,  "  We  will  look  him  up  in  the 
Encyclopczdia  Britannica.  Yes,  here  is  an  account  cover- 
ing some  four  and  a  half  pages  concerning  him.  He 
seems  to  have  been  a  pantheistic  philosopher  of  high 
standing." 

I  proceeded  to  read,  from  page  156  : 


334  Let  There  Be  Light 

"Besides  the  three  causes  of  obscurity  now  noted  in  the 
Hebrew  language,  there  yet  remain  to  be  mentioned  two  others, 
each  of  much  more  moment  than  all  the  rest.  The  first  of  these 
is,  that  the  ancient  Hebrews  wrote  without  vowels  and  accents. 
The  moderns  supplied  vowel-points  and  accents,  as  it  seemed 
good  to  them  that  the  Bible  should  be  interpreted  ;  wherefore 
they  are  to  be  regarded  as  mere  interpolations  of  yesterday,  and 
deserve  no  greater  faith,  as  they  have  no  higher  authority,  than 
the  lucubrations  of  ordinary  commentators." 

"  By  whom  is  this  ?  "  asked  Dorothy. 

"  By  the  same  author,  from  the  same  book,  the 
Tradatu&y 

"  Do  you  believe  that  he  is  correct  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know  ;  but  let  us  proceed  further.  On 
page  20I  he  says  : 

"  'The  resemblance  of  one  Hebrew  letter  to  another  is,  in 
fact,  an  ever  recurring  question,  when  there  is  any  room  for 
doubt,  whether  a  Bet  or  3  Kaf,  '  Jod  or  1  Vau,  -j  Dalet  or  1 
Res,  etc.,  is  the  proper  letter  to  be  used;  and  as  these  are 
among  the  most  constantly  employed  in  the  language,  it  fre- 
quently happens  that  either  indifferently  will  make  tolerable 
sense  with  the  context.'  " 

"  I  am  glad  that  you  told  me  that  this  Spinoza  was  a 
pantheist,"  said  Dorothy. 

"Why?" 

"  Because  his  assertion  cannot  have  the  same  weight 
as  that  of  a  Christian  clergyman,  like  Dr.  Carroll. 

"  Ezra  must  have  based  his  conclusion,"  she  con- 
tinued, "  on  the  authority  of  this  Spinoza,  who  claims, 
as  you  have  just  read,  that  ancient  Hebrew  had  no 
vowels.  Preposterous  and  absurd  to  think  that  a 
written  langtiage  should  have  had  nothing  but  con- 
sonants. Why,  let  me  see.  If  the  letters  a,  e,  i,  o 
and  u,  and  sometimes  w  and  y,  were  absent,  we  could 


Some  Authorities  335 

then  take  '  pt '  for  pat,  pet,  pit,  pot,  put,  pati,  pit}', 
put}',  apt,  piety,  piet,  picta,  pate,  patee,  patio,  patoo 
and  pout.  What  an  opportunitj-  it  would  afford  for  our 
lawyers,  if  contracts  w^ere  drawn  up  in  consonants  only ! 
A  single  paragraph  could  be  interpreted  in  several  hun- 
dred different  ways.  How  was  it  possible  to  translate 
the  Bible  with  such  a  stumbling-block  in  the  way  ? 
Surely  this  pantheist  Spinoza  must  have  misled  Ezra. 
Do  you  not  think  so  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  say,"  I  replied.  "  We  shall  have  to  look 
it  up." 

"Do  keep  on  reading,"  said  Dorothy.  "This  is 
growing  interesting." 

Turning  to  the  next  page,  I  perceived  some  sheets 
of  paper  on  which  appeared  to  be  various  notes  in  the 
handwriting  of  Ezra.     They  began  as  follows  : 

"  As  you  may  not  be  acquainted  with  the  standing  of  Spinoza, 
you  will  find  corroborative  evidence  of  his  statements  in  the 
Encyclopcedia  Britannica  and  in  the  Ainefican  and  Chambers' s 
Encyclopcedias.  I  refer  to  these  because  you  are  more  likely 
to  find  them  iu  Castine  than  other  books  on  the  subject,  and 
they  are  quite  as  authoritative  as  any  others." 

"  Why,  those  are  the  same  books  that  were  cited  by 
Dr.  Carroll,"  observed  Dorothy.  "  Don't  you  remem- 
ber ?  " 

"  Yes,  but  we  failed  to  avail  ourselves  of  his  sugges- 
tion, and  have  not  looked  them  up." 

' '  Let  us  do  so  now, ' '  she  said. 

"  Very  well.  Ezra's  first  reference  is  the  Encyclo- 
pcedia Britannica,  vol.  iii.,  page  640."  And,  going  to 
the  shelf,  I  took  down  the  volume,  and  read  : 

"Semitic  alphabets  have  uo  full  provision  for  distinguishing 


33^  Let  There  Be  Light 

vowels,  and  the  oldest  writing,  before  orthography  became 
fixed,  was  negligent  in  the  use  even  of  such  vowel  letters  as 
exist.  For  a  long  time,  then,  not  only  during  the  use  of  the 
old  Phoenician  character,  but  even  after  the  more  modern 
square  or  Babylonian  letters  were  adopted,  the  written  text  of 
the  Bible  was  consonantal  only,  leaving  a  certain  scope  for 
variety  of  pronunciation  and  sense.  But  even  the  consonantal 
text  was  not  absolutely  fixed.  The  loose  state  of  the  laws  of 
spelling  and  the  great  similarity  of  several  letters  made  errors 
of  copying  frequent.  The  text  of  Micah,  for  example,  is  often 
unintelligible,  and  many  hopeless  errors  are  older  than  the 
oldest  versions." 

"  Ezra  seems  to  be  right,"  remarked  Dorothy. 

"Sol  think." 

"  But,"  she  continued,  "  he  has  not  mentioned  the 
translation  into  Greek  by  command  of  the  Egyptian 
King  Ptolemy,  made  several  centuries  before  Christ,  of 
which  Dr.  Carroll  spoke." 

"  Yes,"  I  replied;  "  on  that  point  he  refers  us  to 
page  641  of  the  same  volume  "  : 

"  '  Versions  of  the  Old  Testament  became  necessary  partly 
because  the  Jews  of  the  Western  Dispersion  adopted  the  Greek 
language,  partly  because  even  in  Palestine  the  Old  Hebrew  was 
gradually  supplanted  by  Aramaic.  The  chief  seat  of  the  Hel- 
lenistic Jews  was  in  Egypt,  and  here  arose  the  Alexandrian 
version,  commonly  known  as  the  Septuagint  or  Version  of  the 
LXX.,  from  a  fable  that  it  was  composed,  with  miraculous  cir- 
cumstances, by  seventy-two  Palestinian  scholars  summoned  to 
Egypt  by  Ptolemy  Philadelphus.  In  reality  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  the  version  was  gradually  completed  by  several 
authors  and  at  diflferent  times.  The  whole  is  probably  older 
than  the  middle  of  the  second  century  B.C.  We  have  already 
seen  that  the  text  that  lay  before  the  translators  was  in  many 
parts  not  that  of  the  present  Hebrew.  The  execution  is  by  no 
means  uniform  ;  and,  though  there  are  many  good  renderings, 
the  defects  are  so  numerous  that  the  Greek-speaking  Jews,  as 


Some  Authorities  337 

well  as  the  \ar^e  section  of  the  Christian  church  which  long 
depended  directly  or  indirectly  on  this  version,  were  in  many 
places  quite  shut  out  from  a  right  understanding  of  the  Old 
Testament.'  " 

"  Ezra  seems  to  be  right  again,"  observed  Dorothy. 

"  I  agree  with  you,"  I  replied. 

"  But,"  she  added,  "  all  this  refers  to  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. No  such  inaccuracies  could  have  occurred  in 
the  New  Testament,  for  it  was  written  in  Greek." 

"  On  that  question,"  said  I,  consulting  Ezra's  notes, 
"  he  refers  us  to  page  643  of  the  same  volume.  It 
reads  : 

"  'Can  we  say  of  all  the  New  Testament  books  that  they 
are  either  directly  apostolic,  or  at  least  stand  in  immediate 
dependence  on  genuine  apostolic  teaching  which  they  honestly 
represent?  Or  must  we  hold,  with  an  influential  school  of 
modern  critics,  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  books  are  direct 
forgeries,  written  in  the  interest  of  theological  tendencies,  to 
which  they  sacrifice  without  hesitation  the  genuine  history  and 
teaching  of  Christ  and  his  apostles  ?  " 

"  This  statement  surprises  me  ;  does  it  not  j'ou  ?  " 
remarked  Dorothy. 

"  No,  for  I  have  all  along  had  an  idea  that  Ezra  was 
correct  in  the  main." 

"  Then  why  have  n't  j^ou  said  so  before  ?  " 
"  Because  I  preferred  not  to  disturb  your  mind." 
"  How  could  you  be  so  cruel,  Joseph,"  said  Dorothy, 
reproachfully,  "  as  to  withhold  the  truth  for  fear  of  dis- 
turbing my  mind  ?    Is  my  mind  so  feeble  ?     Or  do  you 
treat  it  so  tenderly  because  I  am  a  woman  ?     Has  a 
woman  so  w^eak  a  mental  constitution   that  she  may 
only  be  fed  on  skimmed  and  diluted  intellectual  food  ?  " 
"  No,"  I  replied  ;  "  that  was  not  my  reason.     The 
real  reason   was  this  ;  let  me  read  it  to  you.     Ezra 


33^  Let  There  Be  Light 

states  it  in  the  second  paragraph  of  his  remarks  which 
close  the  debates. 

"  '  Critical  judgment,  before  it  can  accept  any  new  opinion  that 
differs  radically  from  the  old,  must,  I  think,  first  modify  or  re- 
ject the  old.  And  before  such  acceptance  can  be  logically  com- 
plete, all  inconsistent  opinions  that  bear  any  intrinsic  relation 
to  the  new  opinion  must  be  adjusted  to  meet  the  change.  Only 
thus  can  there  be  consistency  and  correspondence  of  thought 
throughout.  To  force  one's  self  to  accept  new  opinions  other- 
wise is  to  take  into  the  mind  unassimilative  matter.'  " 

"  What  does  that  mean  ?  "  asked  Dorothy,  with  a 
look  of  perplexity. 

"  It  means  that  for  j-ou  to  attain  a  realisation  of  the 
truths  pointed  out  bj^  Ezra,  it  would  have  been  neces- 
sary for  you,  at  the  start,  to  cast  aside  your  faith." 

"  But  that  would  have  made  me  an  infidel  !  "  she 
exclaimed. 

"  In  a  narrower  sense,  ye.s,"  I  replied  ;  "  btit  in  the 
broader  sense,  no.  No  truly  spiritual  being  can  be- 
come untrue  to  its  spiritual  nature  ;  it  cannot  become 
infidel.  It  can  only  —  during  the  period  of  transition 
from  its  old  to  its  new  opinion  —  become  sceptical,  or, 
rather,  critical." 

"  I  see  !  "  exclaimed  Dorothy.  "  Then  why  did  you 
prevent  that  transition  ? ' ' 

"  Because  such  a  state  is  very  painful  for  those  who 
fail  to  grasp  its  true  meaning.  I  therefore  kept  the 
fact  from  you  to  avoid  giving  you  pain." 

"  So  you  knew  the  truth  all  the  while,  did  you, 
Joseph  ?  "  said  she,  in  a  low  voice. 

"  Oh,  no.  I  must  have  admitted  much  more  than  I 
should.  I  do  not  know  the  truth  ;  no  mortal  can  ever 
know  the  truth.  I  only  surmised  that  Ezra  was  nearer 
the  path  of  truth  than  was  the  clergyman. ' ' 


Some  Authorities  339 

"  How  enigmatical  you  are  !  "  Dorothy  exclaimed. 
"  I  understood  you  to  say  that  Ezra  had  discovered  the 
truth,  and  that  you,  too,  knew  the  truth  ;  and  now  you 
tell  me  that  no  mortal  can  ever  know  it." 

"  Evidently  I  have  foiled  to  make  myself  clear,"  I 
replied  ;  "  but  I  will  try  to  do  so  now.  In  my  opinion, 
the  highest  truth  the  human  mind  is  capable  of  grasping 
i3  the  fact  that  we  can  never  know  absolute  truth. 
To  arrive  at  a  full  consciousness  of  this  knowledge 
requires  the  exercise  of  all  our  intellectual  faculties, 
and  this  full  consciousness  is  reached  only  at  the  cost 
of  the  greatest  pains." 

"  But  after  we  have  acquired  this  truth,  of  what 
value  is  it  ?  "  asked  Dorothy.  "  Will  it  not  then  have 
transformed  us  from  believers  in  God  into  agnostics  ?  " 

"  No.  An  agnostic  believes  that  he  does  not  know 
that  there  is  a  God  ;  but  those  of  whom  I  speak  are  de- 
vout believers  in  God.  In  fact  they,  like  Ezra,  most 
frequently  affirm  that  God  is  the  only  absolute  entity." 

"  How  do  they  reach  that  conclu.sion,  and  what  evid- 
ence have  they  to  offer  for  their  belief  ? ' ' 

"  These  believers  reach  their  conclusions,"  I  an- 
swered, "  through  the  study  of  phenomena,  through 
observing  the  things  on  the  earth,  in  the  air,  in  the 
water,  in  the  heavens.  They  likewise  observe  the  rela- 
tions between  inorganic  and  organic  matter  and  all 
affairs  relating  to  humanity  ;  all  these  phenomena  they 
call  manifestations  of  God's  laws,  and  these  they  offer 
as  proofs  of  God's  existence." 

"  Would  the  people  accept  such  a  belief?  " 

"  People  of  primitive  minds  would  not,"  I  replied  ; 
"  but  to  people  of  high  spiritual  inclination  such  a  belief 
would  be  and  is  acceptable,  because  any  other  belief  is 
idolatry  or  falsehood." 


340  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  You  mean,"  observed  Dorothy,  "  that  God  does 
not  ask  us  to  busy  ourselves  about  His  form  or  how  He 
looks." 

"  Yes,  that  is  just  what  I  mean,"  I  said.  "  For  that 
reason  He  gave  the  commandments  '  Thou  shalt  not 
make  thee  any  graven  image,  or  any  likeness  of  any- 
thing that  is  in  heaven  above,  or  that  is  in  the  earth 
beneath,  or  that  is  in  the  waters  beneath  the  earth: 
Thou  shalt  not  bow  down  thyself  unto  them,  nor  serve 
them.'  This,  of  course,  implies  that  we  should  also 
rigorously  abstain  from  creating  any  mental  image  of 
God.  God  denied  us  the  power  to  represent  Him,  and 
if  we  try  to  do  so,  it  is  against  His  will  ;  we  then  dis- 
obey Him,  and  are  idolaters." 

"  What  does  God  ask  us  to  do  ?  "  Dorothy  inquired. 

"  He  asks  us  to  '  love  our  neighbour  as  ourselves,'  " 
I  replied. 

"  It  seems,  then,  from  what  5'ou  say,  that  we  are  just 
reversing  God's  law.  He  tells  us  not  to  speculate  about 
His  nature,  and  our  clergymen  not  only  do  this,  but 
they  boldly  open  the  doors  of  Heaven,  — the}'  are  as 
much  at  home  with  God  as  a  guest  with  a  hotel  pro- 
prietor or  a  customer  with  a  storekeeper.  Then  again, 
we  are  told  to  love  our  neighbour  as  ourselves;  but  from 
what  I  know  of  business  methods,  we  more  usually 
love  to  outwit  our  neighbour,  and  we  take  good  care  to 
prevent  him  from  doing  the  same  to  us." 

"  Yes,"  I  said,  "  you  have  stated  the  case  with  fair 
fidelity,  and  a  brief  summary  would  leave  it  in  this 
form.  God  asks  us  not  to  speculate  about  His  nature, 
and  to  love  our  neighbour  as  ourselv'es  ;  but  we  specu- 
late about  the  nature  of  God,  and  do  not  love  our  neigh- 
bour as  ourselves." 

"  We  are  therefore  breakers  of  God's  law  ?  " 


Some  Authorities  341 

"  Yes,  and  that  is  what  Ezra  calls  idolatry." 
"  Does  Ezra  say  anything  else  in  his  notes  ?  "  asked 
Dorothy. 

"  Yes,  he  refers  me  to  the  Encyclopcedia  Brifannica, 
vol.  XV.,  for  information  on  Maimonides  ;  then  desires 
me  to  read  from  a  book  by  Maimonides,  which  he 
sends,  entitled  Guide  of  the  Perplexed.  Let  us  first  look 
at  the  Encydopcedia,  page  295  ' '  : 

"  Maimon ides  (i  135  to  1204).  Among  the  great  men  to  whom 
Mohammedan  Cordova  has  given  birth.  He  was  master  of 
Greek  Arabic  Philosophy." 

"  That  is  perhaps  enough  to  know  of  the  author. 
Now  for  his  Guide  of  the  Perplexed.  We  are  first 
referred  to  page  5.  There  the  author,  speaking  of 
the  synonyms  and  homonyms  of  the  Hebrew  language, 
says"  : 

"  Of  their  several  meanings  the  ignorant  choose  the  wrong 
ones  ;  other  terms  which  are  employed  in  a  figurative  sense  are 
erroneously  taken  by  such  persons  in  their  primary  signifi- 
cation." 

"  I  will  select  a  few  examples  from  among  the  many 
in  the  book  to  which  Ezra  refers  us,"  I  continued. 
"  First,  on  page  47  "  : 

"  B"S  I.  Man.     2.  Male.     3.  One  (—the  other). 

"  na'X  I.  Woman.     2.  Female.     3.  One  ( — the  other). 

"  nx  I.  Brother.     2.  (one — )the  other. 

"  mn«  I.  Sister.     2.  (one — )  the  other." 

"  Again,  on  page  48  "  : 

"nS'  I.  To  bear.  2.  To  create.  3.  To  produce.  4.  To  cause 
to  happen.     5.  To  infer.     6.  To  teach." 

"  On  page  53": 

"NDO  I.  Throne.     2.  Emblem  of  royalty.     3.  Greatness." 


342  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  On  page  54": 

"  nSy  I.  To  go  up.  2.  To  rise.  3.  To  act  in  reference  to 
superior  beings. 

"Ti\  I.  To  go  down.  2.  To  fall.  3.  To  act  in  reference  to 
inferior  beings." 

"  On  page  60": 

"  cip  I.  To  stand.     2.  To  be  confirmed.     3.  To  stir." 

"  On  page  62  "  : 

"  noj?  I.  To  stand.     2.  To  cease.     3.  To  last." 

"  On  page  66": 

"  *nx  I.  Rock.     2.  Flint.     3.  Quarry.     4.  Origin." 

"  On  page  76  "  : 

"  "isy  I.  To  pass.  2.  To  sound.  3.  To  appear.  4.  To  trans- 
gress.    5.  To  miss." 

"  On  page  96  "  : 
"  Sjt  I.  Foot.     2.  Suite.     3.  Cause.     4.   Effect." 

"  On  page  103  "  : 

"  h^H  I.  To  eat.     2.  To  destroy.     3.  To  learn." 

"  On  page  135  ": 

"  D'25  I.  Face.  2.  Anger.  3.  Presence.  4.  Before  (place). 
5.  Before  (time).     6.  Attention." 

"  Tlie.se  example.s  of  ambiguity  and  obscurity  in  the 
Hebrew  language,"  said  Dorothy,  "  seem  to  corroborate 
the  statements  of  Spinoza." 

"  They  certainly  do,"  I  replied  ;  "  and  I  begin  to 
perceive  that  any  and  all  v^ersions  of  the  Bible,  together 
with  any  and   all   commentaries,   are  unquestionably 


Some  Authorities  343 

human,  and  have  been  made  to  lean  toward  the  opinions 
and  interests  of  the  interpreters  and  commentators." 

"  But  if  what  you  say  is  true,"  observed  Dorothy, 
"  there  is  an  end  of  Scripture  inspiration,   is  there 

not?" 

"No;  not  at  all,"  I  answered;  "  for,  as  Ezra  says  in 
his  eighth  proposition,  '  The  aim,  object  and  end  of  the 
Old  and  the  New  Testaments  is  to  teach  us  to  love  and 
obey  God,  and  to  love  our  neighbour  as  ourselves.' 
This  is  the  text,  and  the  works  of  God  are,  or  should 
be,  the  commentary,  the  study.  Instead,  interested 
theologians  and  politicians  have  given  us  creeds  and 
dogmas.  In  the  stead  of  substance  they  have  given 
shadow,  and  they  seem  to  me  to  have  obscured  the  true 
light  and  to  have  caused  the  people  to  live  in  darkness. 

"  If  so,  it  follows  that  these  theologians  were  the 
incarnation  of  wickedness." 

"Not  necessarily,"  I  replied.  "Your  conclusion 
would  be  correct  only  if  we  could  assume  that  theo- 
logians in  general  were  always  wise  and  just.  History 
shows,  however,  that  theologians  in  no  way  differ  from 
other  people  in  respect  to  the  law  of  development ;  hence 
we  may  infer  that  what  they  taught  they  believed  to  be 
true. 

"  Ezra  refers  us  next,"  I  continued,  "  to  page  219  of 
the  Guide  of  the  Perplexed,  where  we  shall  find  some 
remarks  on  Attributes.     The  quotation  is  as  follows  "  : 

"  If  slander  and  libel  is  a  great  sin,  how  much  greater  is  the 
sin  of  those  who  speak  with  looseness  of  tongue  in  reference 
to  God,  and  describe  Him  by  attributes  which  are  far  below 
Him  ;  and  I  declare  that  they  not  only  commit  an  ordiuarj- 
sin,  but  unconsciously  at  least  incur  the  guilt  of  profanity  and 
blasphemy." 

"  Page  215  of  the  same  book  is  next  referred  to"  : 


344  Let  There  Be  Light 

"By  affirming  anything  of  God,  you  are  removed  from  him 
in  two  respects  ;  first,  whatever  you  affirm  is  only  a  perfection 
in  relation  to  us  ;  secondly.  He  does  not  possess  anything  super- 
added to  tlie  essence  ;  His  essence  includes  all  His  perfections, 
as  we  have  shown.  Since  it  is  a  well-known  fact  that  even  that 
knowledge  of  God  which  is  accessible  to  man  cannot  be  attained 
except  by  negations,  and  that  negations  do  not  convey  a  true 
idea  of  the  being  to  which  they  refer,  all  men,  both  of  past  and 
present  generations,  declared  that  God  cannot  be  the  object  of 
human  comprehension,  that  none  but  Himself  comprehends 
what  He  is,  and  that  our  knowledge  consists  in  knowing  that 
we  are  unable  truly  to  comprehend  Him." 

"  Ezra's  next  reference,"  I  continued,  "  is  Herbert 
Spencer's  Syyithetic  Philosophy,  page  45,  the  first  para- 
graph. This,  he  says,  will  give  us  an  idea  of  how 
polytheism  may  be  distinguished.  I  will  read  the 
paragraph  ' ' : 

"The  Polytheistic  conceptions  in  their  advanced  phases  re- 
present the  presiding  personalities  in  greatly  idealised  shapes, 
existing  in  a  remote  region,  working  in  subtle  ways,  and  com- 
municating with  men  by  omens  or  through  inspired  persons  ; 
that  is,  the  ultimate  causes  of  things  are  regarded  as  less  familiar 
and  comprehensible." 

"  On  the  subject  of  monotheism  Ezra  refers  us  to  the 
next  paragraph  on  the  same  page  ' ' : 

"The  growth  of  a  Monotheistic  faith,  accompanied  as  it  is  by 
a  denial  of  those  beliefs  in  which  the  divine  nature  is  assimi- 
lated to  the  human  in  all  its  lower  propensities,  shows  us  a 
further  step  in  the  same  direction  ;  and  however  imperfectly 
this  higher  faith  is  at  first  realized,  we  yet  see  in  altars  '  to  the 
unknown  and  unknowable  God,'  and  in  the  worship  of  a  God 
that  cannot  by  any  searching  be  found  out,  that  there  is  a 
clearer  recognition  of  the  inscrutableness  of  creation.  Further 
developments  of  theology,  ending  in  such  assertions  as  that  '  a 
God  understood  would  be  no  God  at  all,'  and  'to  think  that 
God  is,  as  we  can  think  Him  to  be,  is  blasphemy,'  exhibit  this 


Some  Authorities  345 

recognition  still  more  distinctly  ;  and  it  pervades  all  the  culti- 
vated theology  of  the  present  day.  Thus  while  other  constitu- 
ents of  religious  creeds  one  by  one  drop  away,  this  remains  and 
grows  even  more  manifest ;  and  so  is  shown  to  be  the  essential 
constituent." 

"  Are  you  beginning  to  get  an  idea  of  the  difference 
between  polytheism  and  monotheism,  Dorothy?"  I 
asked. 

"  Yes.  I  see  that  while  I  have  always  thought  my- 
self a  Christian,  I  was  in  fact  a  polytheist." 

"So  it  would  seem,"  I  replied.  "  Let  us  see  what 
comes  next.  We  are  to  look  again  at  the  Guide  of  the 
Perplexed,  pages  i8i,  171  and  172  ": 

••No  attribute  coming  under  the  head  of  quality  in  its  widest 
sense,  can  be  predicated  of  God.  .  .  .  God  has  no  essential 
attribute  in  any  form  or  in  any  sense  whatever,  and  the  re- 
jection of  corporeality  implies  the  rejection  of  essential  at- 
tributes. Those  who  believe  that  God  is  One,  and  that  He  has 
many  attributes,  declare  the  unity  with  their  lips,  and  assume 
plurality  in  their  thoughts." 

' '  Next  we  are  referred  to  pages  209,  207  and  208  of 
the  same  work.     Here  are  the  passages  marked  "  : 

"God's  existence  is  absolute.  It  includes  no  composition. 
We  comprehend  only  the  fact  that  He  exists,  not  His  essence. 
Consequently  it  is  a  false  assumption  to  hold  that  He  has  any 
positive  attribute. 

"The  negative  attributes  of  God  are  the  true  attributes: 
they  do  not  include  any  incorrect  notions  or  any  deficiency 
whatever  in  reference  to  God,  while  positive  attributes  imply 
polytheism,  and  are  inadequate,  as  we  have  already  shown." 

"  Ezra  tells  us  that,  finally,  Maimouides  teaches  the 
way  of  arriving  at  spiritual  knowledge,  and  we  are 
referred  to  page  193  of  the  Guide  of  the  Perplexed. 
There  we  find  ' '  : 


346  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  The  knowledge  qf  the  works  of  God  is  the  knowledge  of 
His  attributes,  by  which  He  can  be  known." 

' '  The  notes  proceed  with  this  remark  by  Ezra  him- 
self :  '  The  wisest  among  all  nations  found  God  through 
the  manifestation  of  God's  works.  Here,  for  instance, 
is  a  hymn  by  the  Greek  Cleanthes,  the  Stoic,  who 
lived  460  B.C.'  "     And  I  read  : 

"Hymn  of  Cleanthes,  the  Stoic  :  O  thou  who  hast  various 
names,  but  whose  essence  is  one  and  infinite  !  O  Jupiter ! 
First  of  immortals,  sovereign  of  nature,  who  governest  all,  who 
subjectest  all  to  one  law,  I  salute  thee  ;  for  man  is  permitted  to 
invoke  thee.  All  that  lives,  all  that  moves,  all  that  exists  as 
mortal  upon  the  earth,  we  all  are  born  of  thee,  we  are  a  feeble 
image  of  thee.  I  address  to  thee,  therefore,  my  hymn,  and  will 
not  cease  to  sing  to  thee.  This  universe  suspended  over  our 
heads,  and  which  seems  to  roll  around  the  earth,  obeys  thee 
alone ;  it  moves  and  is  governed  in  silence  by  thy  command. 
Genius  of  nature!  In  the  heavens,  on  the  earth,  in  the  seas, 
nothing  is  made,  nothing  is  produced  without  thee,  except  evil, 
which  springs  from  the  heart  of  the  wicked.  By  happy  accord 
thou  so  blendest  that  which  is  good  with  that  which  is  not,  that 
general  and  eternal  harmony  is  everywhere  established.  Alone, 
of  all  beings,  the  wicked  interrupt  this  grand  harmony  of  the 
world." 

"  Beautiful  !  "  exclaimed  Dorothy. 

"  Does  it  not  remind  you  of  Ezra's  definition  of  secu- 
lar and  sacred  ?  "  I  asked.  "  Yoti  remember  he  called 
all  labour  and  all  objects  sacred,  and  sin  only  he  called 
secular  ?  " 

"  I  remember,"  said  Dorothy;  "  and  it  seems  to  me 
that  he  was  in  perfect  accord  with  the  writer  of  this 
hymn." 

I  was  about  to  proceed  with  the  reading  when  Dor- 
othy interrupted.      ' '  Joseph, ' '  said   she,  ' '  there  is  a 


Some  Authorities  347 

great  deal  to  think  about  in  all  we  have  just  read  and 
talked  over.  I  want  some  time  to  reflect  on  it.  It  will 
be  better  for  both  of  us  if  we  put  off  any  further  reading 
or  discussion  for  a  while,  perhaps  for  a  few  weeks. 
Then  we  shall  be  ready  for  whatever  else  is  to  be  con- 
sidered. Meanwhile,  we  will  think  over  the  subjects 
that  have  been  brought  before  our  minds  to-day." 

To  this  proposal  I  agreed.  The  books  and  papers 
were  put  aside,  and  not  until  Monday,  July  3d,  did  we 
resume  the  subject.  On  the  afternoon  of  that  day,  at 
Dorothy's  suggestion,  we  met  in  the  study  to  continue 
our  inquiry. 


CHAPTER  XUI 

MORE   AUTHORITIES 

"f  ET  me  see,"  I  began,  turning  to  Ezra's  notes  : 
I  J  "  we  left  off  after  reading  the  Hymn  of  Clean- 
thes  ;  and  now  Ezra  submits  some  authority  on  pro- 
phecy. He  desires  us  to  consult  pages  31  and  32  of 
the  Tradahis  of  Spinoza,  as  the  first  citation  on  the 
subject.  I  will  read  the  marked  portion  of  those 
pages ' ' : 

"  All  natural  knowledge  may  be  entitled  Prophecy  ;  for  what 
we  know  by  the  light  of  nature  depends  entirely  on  a  know- 
ledge of  God  and  his  eternal  decrees.  But  as  this  natural 
knowledge  is  accessible  to  all  men,  resting  as  it  does  on  founda- 
tions that  are  common  to  mankind  at  large,  therefore  is  it  not 
so  highly  esteemed  of  the  vulgar,  whose  disposition  it  is  still  to 
be  attracted  by  rare  and  strange  incidents,  to  the  contempt  of 
natural  events.  This  is  the  reason  why  the  vulgar,  when  there 
is  question  of  Prophecy,  always  presume  natural  knowledge  to 
be  set  aside,  although  it  has  a  like  title  with  any  other  kind 
of  knowledge  to  be  called  divine,  seeing  that  it  is  imparted  to 
us  by  the  nature  of  God  and  his  decrees,  and  is  not  different 
from  the  knowledge  which  by  all  is  called  divine." 

"  According  to  this  definition,  then,"  said  Dorothy, 
"  the  prophets  were  men  whose  divine  power  came  to 
them  through  their  knowledge  of  God,  were  they  not  ?  " 

348 


More  Authorities  .   349 

"On  the  contrary,"  I  replied,  "according  to  this 
writer,  their  knowledge  of  God  came  to  them  through 
their  study  of  natural  knowledge  ;  and  this,  as  Ezra 
told  us,  through  their  power  of  generalisation." 

"  If  that  is  the  case,"  Dorothy  observed,  "  all  who 
do  the  same  can  be  prophets.  At  least,  that  is  just 
what  the  writer  would  have  us  infer.  I  do  not  believe 
it,  do  3'ou  ?  " 

"  Let  us  see  first  what  else  there  is  said  on  the  sub- 
ject," I  answered.  "  The  notes  tell  us  that  further 
authority  on  prophecy  will  be  found  on  pages  252  and 
253  of  James  Freeman  Clarke's  Ten  Great  Religions. 
The  passages  marked  are  these  "  : 

"We  all  know  that  ideas  come  to  us  from  within  the  mind, 
without  any  effort  of  ours.  The  poet,  the  artist,  the  inventor, 
when  the  course  of  his  thoughts  is  checked  by  some  obstacle, 
stops,  waits,  looks  in,  looks  up,  for  an  inspiration.  Many  of 
our  best  thoughts  visit  us  in  this  way  unexpectedly,  and  take 
us  by  surprise. 

"If  you  read  the  biographies  of  great  inventors,  discoverers, 
poets,  artists,  you  will  often  find  it  recorded  that  the  germinal 
ideas  of  their  whole  life-work  fell  into  their  minds  in  this  way. 
Thus  we  may  say  that  not  only  Isaiah  and  Paul  were  inspired 
to  teach  religious  truths,  but  that  Newton  was  inspired  to  dis- 
cover the  law  of  gravitation,  Phidias  to  carve  the  Olympian 
Jupiter,  Columbus  to  discover  America,  Champollion  to  de- 
cipher Egyptian  hieroglyphics,  Milton  to  write  the  Paradise 
Lost,  and  Mrs.  Stowe  to  write  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin." 

"That  is  plain  enough,"  observed  Dorothy;  "but 
surely  it  does  not  refer  to  divine  inspiration,  does  it  ?  " 
It  does  certainly  ;  for  this  writer  speaks  here  not 
only  of  ordinary  inspiration,  —  that  of  inventors,  poets 
or  discoverers,  —  but  likewise  of  the  inspiration  of 
Paul  and  Isaiah  ;  he  is,  therefore,  of  the  same  opinion 
as  Spinoza.      But   here  is  a  further  reference  to  this 


350  Let  There  Be  Light 

subject,  a   citation   from    the    Traclahis,  page   163.     I 
will  read  it  "  : 

"The  prophets  and  apostles,  however,  were  wont  to  preach 
not  to  the  faithful  alone,  but  to  infidels  and  impious  persons 
also,  who  were  nevertheless  apt  enough  to  understand  the 
meaning  of  the  words  addressed  to  them  :  had  it  been  other- 
wise, the  prophets  and  apostles  would  have  reserved  their 
teaching  for  infants  and  children,  and  not  have  addressed 
grown  men  endowed  with  reason  ;  in  vain  would  Moses  have 
prescribed  his  laws,  could  they  only  have  been  understood  by 
the  faithful,  who  in  fact  require  no  law.  They  who  have  re- 
course to  supernatural  light  for  understanding  the  discourses 
of  the  prophets  and  apostles,  plainly  show  themselves  to  be 
without  natural  human  light ;  and  I  am  therefore  very  far 
from  conceding  to  such  the  possession  of  any  supernatural  and 
divine  gift." 

"  If  what  is  here  said  is  true,"  said  Dorothy,  "  it 
must  follow  that  prophecy  is  as  possible  in  our  day, 
and  in  this  country,  as  it  was  in  ancient  times  in 
Judea." 

"  Much  more  so,"  I  replied. 

' '  Then  why  do  not  the  prophets  prophesy  ?  ' ' 

"  They  do,  in  many  thousands  of  ways." 

"  You  are  joking,  are  you  not  ?  " 

"  No,"  I  replied.  "  I  was  never  more  serious  ;  the 
writer  of  an  editorial  may  be  as  great  a  prophet  on  any 
important  national  topic  now  as  the  ancient  Hebrew, 
who  prophesied  on  political  matters,  was  in  his 
day." 

"  Is  that  the  case  when  the  editorial  is  '  inspired,'  as 
the  papers  call  it  ?  " 

"  No,  you  little  goose  !  When  an  editorial  is  what 
is  called  '  inspired,'  it  is  anything  but  a  prophecy  as 
you  understand  it.  It  is  then  an  argument  for  pay, — 
for  dollars  and  cents. ' ' 


More  Authorities  351 

"Well,  then,"  said  Dorothy,  "  if  what  you  have 
read  is  true,  then  the  number  of  prophets  would  be 
likely  to  increase  in  the  ratio  of  the  increase  of  general 
knowledge." 

"Yes." 

"  Of  what  benefit  would  such  an  increase  be  ?  " 

"  Of  very  great  benefit.  It  would,  first  of  all,  bring 
the  people  nearer  to  God  ;  second,  it  would  bring  with 
it  a  much  higher  state  of  civilisation  ;  and  third,  it 
would  largely  improve  the  material  condition  of  all  the 
people." 

"  Do  you  think,"  she  asked,  "  that  such  results  can 
be  brought  about  by  this  new  idea  advocated  b}'  Ezra  ?  " 

"  I  think  so,"  I  replied  ;  "  but  you  are  wrong  in  call- 
ing it  a  new  idea,  and  in  attributing  it  to  Kzra.  It  is  a 
very  old  idea,  and  has  been  taught  by  some  of  the 
wisest  teachers  in  the  world." 

"  Then  why  was  it  not  generally  accepted  ?  " 

"  Before  you  or  I  may  pronounce  a  verdict  on  this 
matter,  we  should  first  acquaint  ourselves  with  the  law 
which  governs  progress.  As  it  appears  to  me,  the 
product  which  we  call  civilisation  is  the  result  of  the 
operation  of  two  forces,  one  of  which  is  the  major  and 
the  other  the  minor.  The  major  is  the  stationary  or 
conservative  force,  and  the  minor  is  the  impelling  or 
progressive  force. 

"  Whenever  the  impelling  force  is  permitted  to  act 
too  rapidly,  it  causes  disturbance  ;  whenever  it  acts  too 
feebly,  there  is  stagnation.  Were  there  a  determining 
court,  possessed  of  necessary  wisdom  and  enforcing 
power,  to  decide  on  the  value  of  each  proposition  of  the 
impelling  force,  the  process  of  promulgation  would  be 
reduced  to  an  appeal  to  this  court.  As  no  such  court  is 
in  existence,  the  appeal  is  made  direct  to  the  stationary 


352  Let  There  Be  Light 

force.  Now  before  this  stationary  force  can  accept 
any  new  and  conflicting  opinion  in  the  place  of  the  one 
it  holds,  it  must,  as  Ezra  says,  first  reject  the  one  it 
holds.  Before  it  can  do  this  logically,  it  must  first  ad- 
just all  other  differing  opinions  which  bear  an  intrinsic 
relation  to  it. 

"  Now  there  are  three  main  causes  operating  against 
the  reception  of  such  new  opinions  as  conflict  with  those 
we  hold.  The  first  obstacle  is  misinterpretation  or 
misunderstanding  ;  the  second  is  opposition  to  self- 
interest  ;  and  the  third  is  non-utility.  Where,  as  in 
the  case  of  a  new,  useful  and  valuable  invention,  the 
object  can  be  seen  and  understood,  where  accept- 
ance of  it  is  not  against  self-interest,  and  where  its 
utility  is  evident,  there  is  no  opposition  to  its  accept- 
ance. But  in  the  case  of  a  new  idea  in  belief,  which 
involves  the  probability  of  misinterpretation  and  mis- 
understanding, and  which  largely  conflicts  with  the 
self-interest  of  a  powerful  faction,  there  can  be  no  ac- 
ceptance without  a  prolonged  and  hotly  contested 
conflict. 

"  Judge  then  the  state  of  the  siege  when  the  contest 
is  between  a  dozen  or  so  of  the  promulgating  party  and 
the  rest  of  the  world  opposed  to  it." 

"  Yet,"  said  Doroth)%  "  this  was  just  the  case  with 
Christianity  at  the  time  of  its  birth  ;  its  dozen  apostles 
set  themselves  up  against  a  whole  world,  and  have  they 
not  gained  the  day  ?  " 

"  But  have  you  forgotten,"  I  replied,  "  that,  in  the 
struggle,  these  heroic  souls  were  not  only  traduced 
and  vilified,  but  even  tortured  and  killed  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  she  anawered,  "  I  begin  to  realise  the  great 
difficulties  in  the  way." 

I  again  took  up  Ezra's  notes.     "  Here  is  the  next 


More  Authorities  353 

citation,"    I   said  :   "  Comte  and  Positivism,   by  John 
Stuart  Mill,  page  23.    I  will  read  the  marked  passage ' ' : 

"The  highest  form  of  Monotheism,  Christianity,  has  per- 
sisted to  the  present  time  in  giving  partial  satisfaction  to  the 
mental  dispositions  that  lead  to  Polytheism,  by  admitting  into 
its  theology  the  thoroughly  polytheistic  conception  of  a  devil." 

"  Can  that  be  denied  ?  "  asked  Dorothy. 

"  I  think  not,"  I  replied.  "  Ezra  refers,  ftirther,  on 
this  subject,  to  some  remarks  by  John  Fiske,  in  his 
Through  Nature  to  God.     Mr.  Fiske  says  "  : 

"In  getting  rid  of  the  Devil  and  regarding  the  universe  as  the 
multiform  manifestation  of  a  single  all-pervading  Deity,  we  be- 
come for  the  first  time  pure  and  uncompromising  monotheists." 

"  I  am  in  full  accord  with  that  statement,"  said 
Dorothy,  "  for  it  seems  an  absurdity  to  call  ourselves 
monotheists  so  long  as  we  believe  in  an  eternal  devil." 

"  I  agree  with  you,"  I  said.  "  And  here  is  more 
from  the  same  volume  "  : 

"We  have  at  length  reached  a  stage  where  it  is  becoming 
daily  more  and  more  apparent  that  with  the  deeper  study  of 
Nature  the  old  strife  between  faith  and  knowledge  is  drawing 
to  a  close  ;  and,  disentangled  at  last  from  that  ancient  slough  of 
despond  the  Human  Mind  will  breathe  a  freer  air  and  enjoy  a 
vastly  extended  horizon. 

"  The  story  of  Nature,  no  longer  scattered  in  truant  leaves,  is 
bound  with  divine  love  in  a  mystic  volume.  We  should  find 
therein  no  traces  of  hazard  or  incongruity." 

"  This  belief  would  remove  all  cause  of  scepticism, 
would  it  not  ?  ' '  asked  Dorothy. 

"  To  a  very  great  degree,  yes  ;  and  of  atheism  and 
pessimism  too.  Such  a  belief,  if  generally  accepted, 
would  serve  more  than  an}'  other  system  whatever  to 
harmonise  the  people  of  the  whole  world." 


354  Let  There  Be  Light 

I  turned  again  to  Ezra's  notes.  The  next  citation 
was  the  Koran,  chapter  45,  under  the  title  "  Kneel- 
ing": 

"  Verily  both  in  heaven  and  earth  are  signs  of  the  divine 
power  unto  the  true  believers  :  and  in  the  creation  of  your- 
selves, and  of  the  beasts  which  are  scattered  over  the  face  of 
the  earth,  are  signs  unto  people  of  sound  judgment ;  and  also 
in  the  vicissitude  of  night  and  day,  and  the  rain  which  God 
sendeth  down  from  heaven,  whereby  he  quickeneth  the  earth 
after  it  hath  been  dead  :  in  the  change  of  the  winds  also  are 
signs,  unto  people  of  understanding.  These  are  the  signs  of 
God  ;  we  rehearse  them  unto  thee  with  truth." 

"  So  Mohammed  had  the  same  idea,"  remarked 
Doroth5\ 

"  Yes,  evidently,"  I  replied. 

Again,  referring  to  Ezra's  notes,  I  read,  "  Please 
turn  to  page  241,  Apologia  Pro  Vita  Sua,  by  Cardinal 
Newman."     The  quotation  was  as  follows  : 

"  If  I  looked  into  a  mirror,  and  did  not  see  my  face,  I  should 
have  the  sort  of  feeling  which  actually  comes  upon  me  when  I 
look  into  this  living  busy  world,  aud  see  no  reflection  of  its 
Creator." 

"  That  seems  also  to  be  in  harmony  with  Ezra's 
theme,"  said  Dorothy. 
"  It  does  indeed." 
Continuing,  I  read: 

"  Linnaeus  once  said  of  the  unfoldingof  a  blossom  :  '  I  saw  God 
in  His  glory  passing  near  me,  and  bowed  my  head  in  worship.'  " 

"  Beautifully  expre.ssed  !  "  exclaimed  Dorothy. 

"  Yes  ;  and  if  it  may  be  said  of  a  blossom,  it  may  be 
said  of  all  the  works  of  God." 

Our  next  reference  was  to  several  pages  in  Chan- 
ning's  works,  the  first  on  page  42  : 


More  Authorities  355 

"  Matter  was  made  for  spirit,  body  for  mind.  The  mind,  the 
spirit,  is  the  end  of  this  living  organisation  of  flesh  and  bones, 
of  nerves  and  muscles  ;  and  the  end  of  this  vast  system  of  sea 
and  land,  and  air  and  skies.  This  unbounded  creation  of  sun, 
and  moon,  and  stars,  and  clouds,  and  seasons,  was  not  ordained 
merely  to  feed  and  clothe  the  body,  but  first  and  supremely  to 
awaken,  nourish,  and  expand  the  soul,  to  be  the  school  of  the 
intellect,  the  nurse  of  thought  and  imagination,  the  field  for 
the  active  powers,  a  revelation  of  the  Creator,  and  a  bond  of 
social  union." 

"  Why,  that  seems  quite  the  same  idea  advocated  by- 
Ezra,"  Dorothy  observed. 

I  assented,  and  continued,  from  page  44  : 

"Such  a  universe  demands  thought  to  be  understood  ;  and 
we  are  placed  in  it  to  think,  to  put  forth  the  power  within,  to 
look  beneath  the  surface  of  things,  to  look  beyond  particular 
facts  and  events  to  their  causes  and  effects,  to  their  reasons  and 
ends,  their  mutual  influences,  their  diversities  and  resemblances, 
their  proportions  and  harmonies,  and  the  general  laws  which 
bind  them  together. 

"  By  such  thought  the  mind  rises  to  a  dignity  which  humbly 
represents  the  greatness  of  the  Divine  intellect ;  that  is,  it  rises 
more  and  more  to  consistency  of  views,  to  broad  general  prin- 
ciples, to  universal  truths,  to  glimpses  of  the  order  and  harmony 
and  infinity  of  the  Divine  system,  and  thus  to  a  deep,  enlight- 
ened veneration  of  the  Infinite  Father. 

"  Do  not  be  startled,  as  if  I  were  holding  out  an  elevation  of 
mind  utterly  to  be  despaired  of;  for  all  thinking,  which  aims 
honestly  and  earnestly  to  see  things  as  they  are,  to  see  them 
in  their  connections,  and  to  bring  the  loose,  conflicting  ideas 
of  the  mind  into  consistency  and  harmony,  all  such  thinking, 
no  matter  in  what  sphere,  is  an  approach  to  the  dignity  of  which 
I  speak." 

"  This  is  even  nearer  to  Ezra's  doctrine  than  was  the 
other  quotation,"'  said  Dorothy. 


356  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "  there  seems  to  be  an  identity  of 
idea." 

I  resumed,  at  page  45  : 

"Truth  is  the  light  of  the  Infinite  Mind,  and  the  image  of 
God  in  his  creatures.  Nothing  endures  but  truth.  The  dreams, 
fictions,  theories,  which  men  would  substitute  for  it,  soon  die." 

"  How  wonderfully  like  what  Ezra  teaches  !  " 
Dorothy  remarked.  "  I  wonder  if  there  is  any  origin- 
ality in  his  ideas  ?  " 

"  In  the  general  statement  of  them,  no,"  I  replied  ; 
"  but  in  the  manner  of  presentation,  yes." 

"  I  fail  to  understand." 

"  I  will  try  to  make  myself  clear.  You  and  I  have 
perhaps  read  sentences,  paragraphs  and  books  replete 
with  ideas  like  those  I  have  just  read,  but  they  then 
failed  to  create  the  impression  upon  us  that  they  now 
do.  The  reason  is  apparent  ;  Ezra  has  materialised 
these  ideas  by  placing  them  in  a  concrete  form.  This 
he  does  by  eliminating  all  inconsistent  and  conflicting 
ideas  ;  and  thus  he  reaches,  as  a  culmination  and  con- 
clusion of  the  whole  reasoning,  one  essential  idea, 
which  he  denominates  the  '  Central  Theme.'  In  this 
method  consists  his  title  to  originality,  and  not  in  the 
matter  itself." 

"  Yes,  I  see  now;  but  do  you  think  he  can  ever  bring 
the  idea  to  a  realisation  ?  " 

"  That  seems  hardly  probable,"  I  replied  ;  "for  in 
the  first  place  he  may  never  attempt  any  wider  range 
of  propaganda  than  the  circle  of  his  own  club.  If,  how- 
ever, the  matter  were  set  forth  in  some  suitable  book, 
it  would  probably  reach  many  who  would  perhaps  be 
more  able  to  promote  the  materialisation  of  the  idea 
than  seems  possible  at  this  time.     As  a  rule,  it  is  seldom 


More  Authorities  357 

that  the  actual  promulgating  is  done  b}'  the  originator 
of  an  idea  ;  it  is  generally  done  by  converts. 

' '  Never  in  the  history  of  the  world  has  there  been  a 
more  opportune  time  for  the  promulgation  and  spread 
of  this  idea  than  in  our  day.  I  am  almost  sure  of  one 
thing,  however,  and  it  is  this  :  even  if  this  proposition 
goes  no  farther  than  the  club  members,  and  even  if 
they  continue  to  reject  it,  and  even  if  all  traces  of  the 
effort  are  lost  in  oblivion,  — even  then,  it  is  certain  in 
some  form  to  predominate  ultimately. 

"  The  progress  of  the  world,  if  nothing  else,  is  bound 
to  evolve  it,  as  it  evolves  everywhere,  and  at  all  times, 
from  the  lower  to  the  higher.  Consider  now  ;  what 
higher  step  in  general  amelioration  and  in  the  unifica- 
tion of  idea,  opinion  and  tendency  can  we  suggest  than 
this  ?  What  other  form  or  mode  of  belief  is  more 
capable  of  unifying  and  elevating  the  human  race  ?  " 

."  But,"  said  Dorothy,  "  will  not  the  acceptance  of 
this  idea  destroy  Christianity  ?  " 

"  That  depends  upon  what  we  mean  by  Christianity. 
If  we  mean  polytheistic  Christianity,  or  idolatrous 
Christianit}^  then  such  Christianity  would  beyond  a 
doubt  be  destroyed  by  the  acceptance  of  this  idea.  But 
as  to  monotheistic  Christianit}-,  acceptance  of  this  idea 
would  unquestionably  strengthen  and  purify  it.  Christ- 
ianity in  this  form  would  then  be  able  to  do  what  it 
has  so  long  aimed  to  do  and  could  not  do.  It  would, 
in  this  form,  and  in  a  short  space  of  time,  spread,  and 
become  the  only  religion  in  the  world." 

"  But  with  the  various  tastes  and  inclinations  of  the 
people  of  the  world,  how  would  it  ever  be  possible  for 
all  the  people  to  limit  themselves  to  one  set  form,  or  to 
a  single  ritual  ?  " 

"  That  is  not  at  all  necessary,"   I  replied.     "  The 


35^  Let  There  Be  Light 

new  idea  can  permit  of  as  great  a  variety  of  forms  and 
rituals  as  do  the  systems  which  now  exist  ;  and  even 
more.  And  the  '  Central  Theme  '  can  nevertheless  be 
preserved  in  all  its  purity." 

I  turned  again  to  Channing,  and  read,  as  indicated, 
from  page  53  : 

"It  is  sometimes  said,  that  the  multitude  may  think  on  the 
common  business  of  life,  but  not  on  higher  subjects,  and 
especially  on  religion.  This,  it  is  said,  must  be  received  on 
authority  ;  on  this,  men  in  general  can  form  uo  judgment  of 
their  own.  But  this  is  the  last  subject  on  which  the  individual 
should  be  willing  to  surrender  himself  to  others'  dictation. 

"In  nothing  has  he  so  strong  an  interest.  In  nothing  is  it 
so  important  that  his  mind  and  heart  should  be  alive  and 
engaged.  In  nothing  has  he  readier  means  of  judging  for  him- 
self. In  nothing,  as  history  shows,  is  he  more  likely  to  be  led 
astray  by  such  as  assume  the  office  of  thinking  for  him. 

"Religion  is  a  subject  open  to  all  minds.  Its  great  truths 
have  their  foundation  in  the  soul  itself,  and  their  proofs  sur- 
round us  on  all  sides.  God  has  not  shut  up  the  evidence  of  His 
being  in  a  few  books,  written  in  a  foreign  language,  and  locked 
up  in  the  libraries  of  colleges  and  philosophers  ;  but  has  written 
His  name  on  the  heavens  and  on  the  earth,  and  even  on  the 
minutest  animal  and  plant. 

"Let  me  not  be  told  that  the  multitude  do  actually  receive 
religion  on  authority,  or  on  the  word  of  others.  I  reply,  that  a 
faith  so  received  seems  to  me  of  little  worth.  The  precious, 
the  living,  the  effectual  part  of  a  poor  man's  faith  is  that  of 
which  he  sees  the  reasonableness  and  excellence ;  that  which 
approves  itself  to  his  intelligence,  his  conscience,  his  heart. 
That  which  answers,  to  deep  wants  in  his  own  soul,  and  of 
which  he  has  the  witness  in  his  own  inward  and  outward 
experience. 

"All  other  parts  of  his  belief,  those  which  he  takes  on  blind 
trust,  and  in  which  he  sees  no  marks  of  truth  and  divinity,  do 
him  little  or  no  good.  Too  often  they  do  him  harm,  by  per- 
plexing his  simple  reason,  by  substituting  the  fictions   and 


More  Authorities  359 

artificial  systems  of  theologians  for  the  plain  precepts  of  love, 
and  justice,  and  humility,  and  filial  trust  in  God." 

"  I  agree  with  that,"  said  Dorothy. 
I   expressed   my  own  assent,   and  continued,   from 
page  54  : 

"As  long  as  it  was  supposed  that  religion  is  to  benefit  the 
world  by  laying  restraints,  awakening  fears,  and  acting  as  a 
part  of  the  system  of  police,  so  long  it  was  natural  to  rely  on 
authority  and  tradition  as  the  means  of  its  propagation  ;  so  long 
it  was  desirable  to  stifle  thought  and  inquiry  on  the  subject. 
But  now  that  we  have  learned  that  the  true  office  of  religion  is 
to  awaken  pure  and  lofty  sentiments,  and  to  unite  man  to  God 
by  rational  homage  and  enlightened  love,  there  is  something 
monstrous  in  placing  religion  beyond  the  thought  and  the  study 
of  the  mass  of  the  human  race." 

' '  I  agree  to  that  too, ' '  Dorothy  remarked. 
I  continued  from  page  938  : 

"  Wisdom  is  omnipresent.  Everywhere  it  comes  to  meet  us. 
It  shines  in  the  sun.  It  irradiates  the  heavens.  It  whispers 
through  all  sounds  of  Nature.  It  beams  resplendent  from  the 
characters  of  good  and  wise  men,  and  more  brightly  still  in  our 
own  souls.  Our  teachers  are  thus  all  around  and  within,  above 
and  beneath.     Divine  wisdom  is  not  shut  up  within  any  book." 

"  How  beautiful  !  "  exclaimed  Dorothy. 
"  And  how  true  !  "    I   added.     "  Listen   to  this." 
And  I  read,  from  page  941  : 

"  And  this  universe  is  the  sign  and  symbol  of  infinite  power, 
intelligence,  purity,  bliss,  and  love.  It  is  a  pledge  from  the 
Living  God  of  boundless  and  endless  communications  of  happi- 
ness, truth,  and  virtue.  Thus  are  we  always  in  contact,  if  I 
may  so  say,  with  the  infinite,  as  comprehended,  penetrated, 
and  quickeued  by  it.  What  unutterable  import  is  there  in  the 
teaching  of  such  a  revelation  !  What  a  name  is  written  all 
through  it  in  characters  of  celestial  light !     A  spiritual  voice 


360  Let  There  Be  Light 

pervades  it,  more  solemu,  sublime,  and  thrilling  than  if  the 
roar  of  oceans,  thunders,  whirlwinds,  and  conflagrations  were 
concentrated  in  one  burst  of  praise.  This  voice  is  all  the  more 
eloquent  because  it  is  spiritual  ;  because  it  is  the  voice  in  which 
the  All-Wise  speaks  to  all  intelligences." 

"  Sublime  !  "  exclaimed  Dorothy. 

"  Yes  ;  as  sublime,  as  exalted  and  as  grand  as  similar 
expressions  of  the  prophets  of  old." 

"  Do  you  then  class  Channing  as  a  prophet?  "  she 
asked. 

"Why  not?  Would  his  exalted  theme,  so  ex- 
pressed, find  less  favour  with  God  than  that  of  the 
prophets  who  lived  before  him  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  think  it  would,"  she  replied. 

I  resumed  the  volume,  and,  turning  to  page  940, 
read  : 

"What  a  blessing  would  it  be  to  us,  one  and  all,  could  we  but 
really  wake  up  to  the  glory  of  this  Creation,  in  which  we  live! 
Most  men  are  actually  asleep  for  their  lifetime  in  this  vast  and 
magnificent  world.  Mighty  changes  are  going  on  around  them, 
fitted  to  entrance  their  souls  in  wonder  and  thankfulness  ;  and 
yet  they  are  moved  no  more  than  if  they  were  shut  up  in  a  mill, 
seeing  only  the  perpetual  revolution  of  spindles,  and  hearing 
only  the  monotonous  hum  and  clatter  of  machinery.  We  might 
have  been  born  amidst  such  machinery,  had  the  Creator  so 
pleased.  And  men's  insensibility  often  seems  to  deserve  no 
better  lot.  But  instead  of  being  pent  up  within  narrow  walls, 
we  live  amidst  this  immeasurable  universe.  Instead  of  a  few 
pale  lamps,  giving  only  necessary  rays,  oceans  of  light  daily 
overflow  this  planet  whereon  we  dwell,  with  inexhaustible 
splendour  and  beauty.  And  the  fire  that  sustains  the  life  of 
earth's  creatures  is  forever  freshly  kindled  millions  of  miles 
away." 

"  This  is  the  mighty  spirit,"  said  Dorothy,  "  who 
should  have  built  up  the  proposed  Universal  Church. 


More  Authorities  361 

How  much  greater  and  grander  is  the  idea  when  clothed 
in  the  sublime  imagery  of  this  man's  creation  than  in 
the  humbler  garb  supplied  by  Ezra  !  ' ' 

"  So  it  would  seem  to  us,"  I  replied  ;  "  but  the  ways 
of  God  are  not  our  ways.  He  more  frequently  selects 
the  humble  and  the  lowly  to  do  His  will  ;  and  who 
shall  say  Him  nay  ?  Who  shall  say  to  Him,  '  What 
doest  Thou  ?  '  Ezra  himself  realises  this,  for  he  refers 
us  to  a  remark  of  the  Chinese  philosopher,  Confucius, 
quoted  on  page  600  of  Samuel  Johnson's  Oriental  Re- 
ligions. It  reads  :  '  Be  not  ashamed  to  learn  of  in- 
feriors.' " 

"The  very  thing  we  were  speaking  of,"  remarked 
Dorothy.  "  Ezra  seems  to  have  anticipated  our 
thoughts." 

"  And  here  is  another  maxim  of  Confucius,  quoted 
on  page  603  :  '  The  superior  man  is  catholic,  not  par- 
tisan.' " 

"  That  is  true,"  Dorothy  observed. 

"  Yes,  a  great  truth,  concisely  expressed.  The  idea 
we  are  considering  is  surely  catholic,  do  you  not  think 
so  ?  " 

"  Yes,  most  surely." 

"  We  are  referred  also,"  I  continued,  "  to  the  words 
of  Mencius,  another  Chinese  philosopher,  who  lived  371 
years  B.C.,  quoted  on  page  648  "  : 

"Wheu  Heaven  is  about  to  coufer  a  great  function,  it  first 
exercises  the  mind  with  suflFering  and  the  limbs  with  toil ; 
exposes  the  bodj'  to  privations,  and  confounds  the  undertak- 
ings, lu  this  way  it  stimulates  power  and  supplies  defect. 
Incessant  falls  teach  men  to  reform,  and  distresses  rouse  their 
strength." 


CHAPTER  XLIII 


FAITH    STRENGTHENED 


EZRA  must  have  meant  that  for  you,  Dorothy," 
said  I,  as  I  put  the  book  down.  ' '  Now,  tell  me, 
are  you  still  suffering  because  of  loss  of  your  faith  ?  ' ' 

"  No,  for  I  have  not  lost  my  faith  ;  the  evidences 
shown  us  by  Ezra  have  strengthened  it.  I  am  as 
strong  a  believer  in  Christianit}'  as  I  ever  was,  — and 
stronger,"  she  replied,  with  emphasis. 

"  But  has  all  this  experience  had  no  effect  on  you  ; 
has  it  made  no  impression  ?  " 

"  It  has  had  a  decided  effect,  and  has  made  a  lasting 
impression.  It  has  transformed  me,  from  now  on  and 
for  all  time,  from  a  polytheistic  Christian  into  a  mono- 
theistic Christian  ;  and  I  thank  God  for  the  transforma- 
tion." 

I  took  my  wife's  hand,  "  My  dear  Dorothy,"  I  said, 
"  you  are  saved  by  this  experience  many  years  of  sor- 
rowful struggle.  We  should  ever  be  thankful  for  the 
means  that  brought  light  to  illumine  our  souls." 

"  But  how  ungrateful  we  are  !  "  exclaimed  Dorothy. 

"  In  what  way  ?  "  I  asked. 

' '  Have  we  not  benefited  through  Ezra's  great  labour  ? 
We  are  told  that  he  is  dangerously  ill;  that  his  sister  is 
in  constant  attendance  at  his  side  ;  yet  neither  of  us 

362 


Faith  Strengthened  363 

has  had  the  goodness  of  heart  to  inquire  as  to  his  con- 
dition, or  even  to  thank  him  for  the  books  he  sent. 
Nor  have  we  returned  his  books  ;  and,  as  he  is  a  poor 
man  and  a  student,  he  may  miss  them." 

"  You  are  right,"  I  replied  ;  "  and  the  fault  is  mine, 
for  the  books  were  sent  to  me." 

"  But  I  was  guilty  of  a  breach  of  courtesy,"  objected 
Dorothy,  "  in  not  writing  to  Miss  Seiner  concerning 
her  charity  report.  We  are  both  to  blame.  The  ques- 
tion now  remains,  what  amends  can  we  make  ?  " 

"  We  can  write  to  them." 

"  No,  I  would  telegraph,"  said  Dorothy.  Then, 
after  a  moment's  thought,  she  added,  "  I  wish  we  might 
ask  them  up  here  to  visit  us. ' ' 

"  Well,  then,  ask  them." 

"  But  how  can  they  afford  the  expense  of  the  jour- 
ney ?  " 

"  We  will  send  them  tickets." 

"  I  hardly  think  they  will  accept,"  observed  Dorothy, 
reflectively.  "  We  must  think  of  some  plan  that  will 
obviate  the  necessity  of  such  an  offer.  I  have  it  !  We 
will  arrange  the  charity  work  for  next  season.  I  will 
write  Miss  Seiner,  asking  her  and  her  brother  to  come 
up  and  settle  the  arrangements  with  us  here.  In  that 
way  we  may  quite  properly  provide  the  expenses  of 
their  journey.     Shall  I  do  so  ?  " 

"  Yes,  by  all  means,"  I  replied. 

Accordingly  the  letter  of  invitation  was  written  and 
despatched.  A  reply  from  Miss  Seiner  reached  us  by 
return  post.  In  it  she  informed  us  her  brother's  health 
was  much  better,  and  he  was  again  at  work,  but  that 
he  was  unable  to  leave  without  jeopardising  his  situa- 
tion. She  herself,  however,  would  come,  and  expected 
to  arrive  on  Tuesday. 


364  Let  There  Be  Light 

Oil  Tuesda}',  therefore,  my  wife  and  I  drove  to  Cas- 
tiiie  to  meet  the  boat.  Oar  visitor  was  among  the 
passengers,  and  the  greetings  were  cordial  on  both 
sides,  though  I  observed  on  Miss  Sehier's  face  an  ex- 
pression which  I  attributed  to  fatigue  or  anxiety.  I 
helped  her  into  the  carriage. 

"  I  hope,"  said  Dorothy,  "  that  we  shall  have  the 
pleasure  of  entertaining  \'OU  for  several  weeks." 

"  I  thank  you,"  replied  Miss  Seiner,  "  and  I  should 
be  delighted  to  remain  ;  but  duty  calls  me  home  with 
the  least  possible  delay,  and  as  soon  as  may  be  after 
we  dispose  of  the  affair  which  was  the  cause  of  my 
coming." 

"  I  am  really  disappointed,"  Dorothy  answered. 
"  I  counted  on  the  pleasure  of  having  3'ou  with  us 
for  seV'eral  weeks  at  least,  and  for  the  season  if  possi- 
ble. We  are  very  sorry,  also,  not  to  have  the  pleas- 
ure of  a  visit  from  j'our  brother  ;  and  3'onr  return  so 
soon  will  be  a  double  disappointment.  Can  you  not 
stay?" 

"  While  I  am  grateful  for  your  kindness,"  Miss 
Seiner  replied,  "  I  am  compelled  to  go  back  without 
delay.  There  are  certain  household  duties  that  must 
be  performed  ;  besides,  I  am  anxious  to  return  in  order 
to  be  of  assistance  to  my  brother." 

"  I  thought  he  had  regained  his  health,"  observed 
my  wdfe. 

"  Yes,  but  not  entirely.  When  his  employer  learned 
that  he  was  no  longer  confined  to  his  bed,  he  sent  for 
him,  saying  he  was  needed  to  help  out  with  the  fall 
orders  ;  and  so  Ezra  went  to  work.  As  he  is  studious, 
and  spends  much  of  his  time  in-doors,  I  have  always 
taken  it  upon  myself  to  direct  him  in  matters  that  con- 
cern his  health,   for  in   those  particulars   he  is  quite 


Faith  Strengthened  365 

negligent.  So  you  see  I  cannot  prolong  my  stay,  how- 
ever much  I  should  enjoy  it." 

Miss  Seiner  remained  for  two  days  in  almost  constant 
consultation  with  my  wife.  On  the  morning  of  the 
third  day  we  accompanied  her  to  the  boat  wharf,  and 
there  bade  her  good-bye. 

"  Did  you  notice  the  look  of  sadness  on  Eva's  face  ?  " 
asked  Dorothy,  as,  in  the  afternoon  of  that  day,  she 
and  I  were  seated  in  the  study. 

"  Yes,  I  did.  I  suppose  it  is  due  to  her  anxiety 
about  her  brother,  and  perhaps  to  the  fatigue  of  her 
attendance  on  him." 

"  Not  that  alone.  There  is  another  reason,  and  I 
have  found  it  out." 

"  What  is  it?  " 

"  Well,  I  discovered  that  she  had  formed  an  attach- 
ment for  Mr.  Fisher,  the  man  on  the  Charity  Commit- 
tee." 

"  Does  he  love  her  in  return  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Yes,  very  much." 

"  Then  whj^  do  they  not  marry  ?  " 

"  He  has  proposed  it,"  replied  Dorothy,  "  but  Ezra 
is  opposed." 

"  Why?" 

"  Because  of  the  difference  in  religion." 

"  That  is  strange,"  I  said.  "  I  should  think  the 
liberality  and  the  breadth  of  Ezra's  ideas  would  lead 
him  to  set  aside  the  ordinary  narrow  prejudices  of  his 
people  in  a  matter  like  this." 

' '  They  do  not  seem  to, ' '  replied  Dorothy. 

"  Has  Miss  Seiner  refused  Mr.  Fisher's  proposal,"  I 
asked,  "  or  is  the  question  still  undecided  ?  " 

"  She  has  rejected  him." 

"  Has  she  given  him  any  reason  ?  " 


366  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  No,"  said  Dorothy,  "  and  I  think  it  is  very  sad. 
The  lot  of  the  poor,"  she  continued,  after  a  moment's 
pause,  "  is  indeed  hard." 

"  No  harder  than  that  of  the  rich,  in  matters  of  this 
kind,  is  it  ?  "  I  replied.  "  Rich  men  and  women  are 
subject  to  the  same  trials  and  sufferings  of  the  heart  as 
are  the  poor." 

"  I  did  not  altogether  refer  to  the  question  of  mar- 
riage or  refusals  of  marriage, ' '  Dorothy  observed  ;  "  I 
meant  the  privations  and  sufferings  of  poverty.  I  can 
fancy  how  hard  it  would  be  for  me  to  be  compelled  to 
live  in  the  house  and  among  the  surroundings  in  which 
Eva  lives." 

"  I  noticed,"  I  said,  "  when  at  their  house,  that  they 
occupy  four  rooms.  That  is  above  the  average  for 
mechanics  or  working  people,  many  of  whom  are 
obliged  to  content  themselves  with  three,  sometimes 
with  two,  and  sometimes  with  only  one  room  for  a 
family." 

* '  Horrible  even  to  think  of  it  !  "  exclaimed  Dorothy. 
"  Are  these  privations,  this  abject  poverty  and  this 
suffering  and  misery  results  of  the  operation  of  natural 
law?" 

"  I  do  not  think  so.  Social  arrangements,  social 
systems,  are  largely  the  outgrowth  of  artificial  conven- 
tion. Take  it  in  the  question  of  wages,  for  instance. 
I  will  read  3'ou  what  John  Stuart  Mill,  in  his  Comte  and 
Positivism,  says,  on  page  149  "  : 

"The  rough  method  of  settling  the  labourer's  share  of  the 
produce,  the  competition  of  the  market,  may  represent  a  prac- 
tical necessity,  but  certainly  not  a  moral  ideal.  Its  defence  is, 
that  civilisation  has  not  hitherto  been  equal  to  organising  any- 
thing better  than  this  first  rude  approach  to  an  equitable 
distribution." 


Faith  Strengthened  367 

"  But  is  there  any  absolute  necessity  for  following 
this  '  rough  method  '  ?  Is  the  world  so  crowded,  are 
the  natural  resources  so  scant,  is  the  earth  so  barren  ? ' ' 

"  My  dear  Dorothy,"  I  said,  "  were  you  to  speak  in 
any  assembly  of  the  rich  and  the  influential  as  you  now 
speak,  you  would  be  cried  down  as  a  socialist,  or  even 
looked  upon  as  a  crank  or  a  lunatic." 

"  What  heartless  beasts  such  people  must  be  !  "  she 
exclaimed.  "  And  yet  they  are  supposed  to  have  been 
made  in  the  image  of  God." 

"  Such  is  the  world,  my  dear,"  I  replied,  "  and  such 
it  will  be  for  a  long  time  to  come." 

"  Until  when  ?  Shall  there  never  be  an  end  to  this 
state  of  misery  ?  " 

"  Yes,  there  will  be  an  end  ;  but  not  before  many 
millions  realise  this  condition.  When  these  millions 
rightly  conclude  that  these  evils  need  not  exist,  and 
when  they  resolve  that  the  evils  shall  not  exist,  then 
shall  the  evils  cease." 

"  When  may  we  expect  the  people  to  come  to  these 
conclusions?  " 

"  When  they  have  been  educated  up  to  it,"  I  an- 
swered. ' '  lyisten  to  what  John  Stuart  Mill  says  in  this 
same  book  ' ' : 

"Whoever  thinks  that  the  wretched  education  which  man- 
kind as  yet  receive,  calls  forth  their  mental  powers  (except 
those  of  a  select  few)  in  a  sufficient  or  even  tolerable  degree, 
must  be  very  easily  satisfied. 

"The  abuse  of  intellectual  power  is  only  to  be  dreaded,  when 
society  is  divided  between  a  few  highly  cultivated  intellects  and 
an  ignorant  and  stupid  multitude." 

"  Would  not  the  proposed  Church  Universal  be  a 
good  educator  ?  "  asked  Dorothy. 

"  It  would  be  more  potent,  and  would  educate  toward 


368  Let  There  Be  Light 

a  higher  humanity,  than  any  educator  the  world  has 
ever  had." 

"  Then  why  should  not  we,  you  and  I,  work  for  its 
upbuilding  ?  " 

"  I  lack  the  courage,"  I  replied.  "  God  has  denied 
nie  that  exalted  power  which  is  the  attribute  of  the 
prophet  or  the  promulgator.  I  should  shrink  from 
the  task.  I  should  tremble,  were  men  to  call  me  crank. 
And  in  undertaking  the  promulgation  of  such  a  work  I 
should  be  called  not  only  crank,  but  renegade,  apostate, 
atheist,  materialist,  epicurean,  sophist  and  infidel.  In 
case  the  results  of  the  work  indicated  progress,  I  should 
no  doubt  be  called  fool  and  knave." 

' '  Was  not  Ingersoll  called  by  these  names  ? ' ' 

"  In  some  instances  he  was  ;  but  in  reality  there  was 
no  fear  of  Ingersoll.  The  predominant  churches  realise 
that  they  have  very  little  to  fear  from  atheism.  Atheism 
answers  no  questions,  it  solves  nothing.  The  manifes- 
tations of  God  are  here,  and  they  speak  of  God  to  the 
soul  properly  attuned.  The  atheist  is  such  simply  be- 
cause he  has  been  denied  spiritual  life.  Having  ears, 
he  hears  not,  having  eyes,  he  sees  not  ;  and  he  marvels 
that  others  hear  and  see. 

"  No,  the  predominant  churches  have  no  fear  of 
atheism  or  of  atheists.  What  they  fear  is  a  contesting 
church  which,  in  open  competition,  gains  converts  from 
them.  That  is  what  they  fear,  and  that  is  w^hat  they 
fight,  and  what  they  will  continue  to  fight  until  the 
time  shall  have  come  when  the  Church  is  for  all  the 
people,  by  all  the  people  and  of  all  the  people.  At 
that  time  church  contention  shall  be  at  an  end." 

"  But  if  this  process  is  to  take  centuries,"  observed 
Dorothy,  "  cannot  something  be  done  now  and  at  once 
to  ameliorate  the  condition  of  the  people  ?  " 


Faith  Strengthened  369 

"  No,  nothing.  Socialists  and  others  boast  that 
amelioration  ma}^  be  brought  about  through  the  coer- 
cive application  of  ph3-sical  force,  but  all  the  force  they 
can  exert  would  only  enslave  the  masses  much  more 
than  they  are  enslaved  to-day.  The  world  never  has 
been,  and  never  can  be,  elevated  by  force  or  by  trans- 
forming it  into  a  Utopia.  The  world  has  been  ele- 
vated, and  can  be  elevated  still  higher,  through 
education,  and  only  through  education. 

"  The  Church  should  be  the  great,  omnipresent, 
omnipotent  educator.  It  should  guide  the  home,  the 
school,  the  field,  the  shop,  all  places,  all  the  people,  all 
the  time.  It  should  teach  all  how  to  see,  how  to  hear, 
how  to  think  and  how  to  act.  And  this  should  be  ac- 
complished in  harmony  with  the  Law  Universal,  and 
in  perfect  accord  with  the  design  and  the  will  of  God. 
This  is  the  first  and  only  reform  for  which  the  people 
will  have  to  struggle.  This  once  achieved,  all  the 
other  reforms  must  follow,  and  without  any  struggle 
at  all.  All  these  results,  I  am  inclined  to  believe, 
can  be  brought  about  through  the  proposed  Church 
Universal." 

"  Would  that  God  might  incline  the  people's  hearts 
to  that  church,"  said  Dorothy,  inclining  her  head 
reverently. 


^"^M0 


CHAPTER  XI,IV 

TIME  AND  FURTHER  THOUGHT 

THE  mail  of  the  following  morning  brought  letters 
from  m}^  uncle  and  aunt,  written  on  the  eve  of 
their  departure  for  England.  They  had  come  to  a 
sudden  determination  to  spend  the  remainder  of  their 
summer  vacation  in  Scotland,  and  our  communications 
were  for  the  present  to  be  addressed  to  them  at  Edin- 
burgh. If,  at  the  conclusion  of  the  season,  my  uncle's 
business  should  not  demand  his  presence  in  America, 
it  was  their  intention  to  proceed  to  the  continent,  and 
to  pass  the  winter  in  Italy.  The  following  sum- 
mer they  hoped  to  attend  the  Paris  Exposition  ;  and 
they  expressed  an  earnest  wish  that  Dorothy  and  I 
might  come  over  and  join  them,  as  earl}'  in  the  fall  as 
possible. 

"  Shall  we  go,  Dorothy  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  If  you  wish  to,"  she  replied. 

"  Well,  we  will  think  it  over,"  I  said.  "  We  have 
plenty  of  time  to  decide." 

Early  in  September  we  left  Castine,  made  a  few  short 
visits  to  places  of  interest  in  northern  Maine,  proceeded 
to  Canada,  and  returned  from  there  to  New  York,  in 
which  city  we  arrived  on  Saturda}',  September  i6th. 
We  went  at  once  to  my  uncle's  house,  which  was  ready 

370 


Time  and  Further  Thought       z!"^ 

to  receive  us.     There  we  found  an  accumulation  of 
mail  which  had  come  too  late  to  be  forwarded. 

Among  our  letters  was  one  from  Ezra.  In  it  he 
said  : 

"You  may  remember  that  on  adjournment  of  the  last  meet- 
ing it  was  resolved  to  hold  the  first  fall  meeting  of  the  club  on 
September  2oth.  We  are  undecided  where  to  meet,  whether  at 
our  rooms  or  in  your  lawyer's  office.  If  Mrs.  Morton  will  be 
able  to  attend,  we  will  choose  the  latter,  provided  it  is  available." 

Dorothy,  on  reading  the  letter,  expressed  herself  as 
anxious  to  attend  the  meeting.  I  therefore  communi- 
cated with  my  lawyer,  ascertained  that  his  office  would 
be  at  my  disposal,  and  so  notified  Ezra. 

On  Wednesday  evening  my  wife  and  I  proceeded  to 
the  place  of  meeting,  where  we  exchanged  cordial 
greetings  vvrith  the  members  of  the  club.  Ezra,  accom- 
panied by  his  sister,  was  the  last  to  arrive.  He  showed 
clearly  the  effects  of  his  recent  illness,  and  his  pallor 
and  emaciation  indicated  that  his  attendance  on  this 
evening  was  an  act  of  imprudence. 

Report  of  a  meeting  of  the  Twentieth  Century  Club, 
New  York,  Wednesday,  Sept.  20,  1899,  7-45  ^-M. 

Ezra  arose  and  said  :  "  The  meeting  will  now  come 
to  order.  The  secretary  will  please  read  the  minutes 
of  the  last  meeting." 

As  part  of  the  miniites,  the  secretary  read  the  resolu- 
tion passed  at  the  previous  meeting,  which  was  as 
follows  :  "  Resolved  :  That  we  defer  final  action  on  the 
proposition  of  the  president  until  the  next  regular 
meeting." 

Ezra. — Gentlemen,  you  have  heard  the  resolution. 
The  subject,  "  What  is  Our  Central  Theme,  and  What 
Should  It  Be  ?  "  is  now  before  you.  What  is  your 
pleasure  ? 


3/2  Let  There  Be  Light 

Quail. — I  suggest  that  the  entire  subject-matter  be 
again  opened  for  consideration  and  debate,  and  that  any 
final  action  be  deferred  until  the  conclusion  of  said  con- 
sideration and  debate.  I  offer  this  suggestion  because 
I  hav^e  now  some  opinions  which  I  did  not  have  during 
our  previous  meetings.  Furthermore,  I  am  anxious  to 
learn  whether  any  of  the  other  members  have  likewise 
modified  their  views  on  the  subject. 

Moore. — I  think  the  suggestion  of  Mr.  Quail  is  a 
good  one,  and  I  heartily  favour  it. 

Bradley. — I,  too,  am  in  favour  of  it. 

Fisher. — I  move  that  we  defer  final  action  in  accord- 
ance with  this  suggestion,  and  that  we  now  take  up  the 
consideration  of  the  question  under  the  usual  rules  of 
the  association.  If  there  be  no  objection,  I  ask  that 
Mr.  Moore  be  censor  for  the  evening  and  that  Mr. 
Bradley  be  the  first  speaker. 

The  motion  was  seconded  and  carried  unanimously. 

Ezra. — Gentlemen,  the  subject  is  now  before  us  under 
the  rules  of  the  association.  Mr.  Moore  is  censor,  and 
Mr.  Bradley  the  first  speaker. 

Bradley. —  Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen: 
They  say  that  an  honest  confession  is  good  for  the  soul. 
I  have  a  confession  to  make  to  this  association  ;  one 
which  is  important  to  me,  and  no  doubt  will  be  inter- 
esting to  every  person  here  present.  Briefly,  then,  I 
have  been  converted  to  the  president's  idea,  and  were 
the  matter  up  for  a  vote  now,  I  should  vote,  "  Yes." 

That  this  conversion  is  real  and  lasting  you  will  un- 
doubtedly perceive  as  soon  as  you  learn  how  it  came 
about. 

During  the  fir.st  few  weeks  after  our  last  meeting  the 
idea  of  the  proposed  Church  Univ^ersal  came  to  my 
mind  from  time  to  time,  but  at  first  so  feebly  that  it  was 


Time  and  Further  Thought       Z7Z 

quickl}-  dismissed  without  effort.  To  my  surprise,  how- 
ever, it  returned  more  strongly  than  before.  By  recall- 
ing all  the  arguments  against  it,  both  those  I  had  heard 
and  those  I  had  myself  offered,  I  again  succeeded  in 
ridding  my  mind  of  it.  A  few  weeks  later,  however,  I 
was  the  more  surprised  to  find  myself  again  strongly 
drifting  toward  the  subject.  Try  as  I  would,  I  could 
not  drive  the  theme  away.  Stronger  and  stronger  be- 
came the  idea  that  took  possession  of  me  that,  in  reject- 
ing this  proposal,  I  was  perhaps  rejecting  the  highest 
and  surest  possible  means  of  human  amelioration,  salva- 
tion and  happiness.  Again  and  again  I  tried  hard  to 
reason  this  conviction  out  of  ni}^  mind,  but  I  was  utterly 
unable  to  do  so.  Once  I  was  prompted  to  accept  it;  but 
here  again  I  was  met  with  another  difficulty,  in  the 
form  of  the  arguments  I  had  heard  and  had  myself  used 
against  it  ;  and  these  arguments  constituted  a  barrier, 
solid  as  a  wall  of  granite,  against  the  reception  of  the 
new  idea.  But  when  I  tried  to  break  down  this  bar- 
rier, again  I  failed  utterly ;  so  that  mj^  repeated  failures 
greatly  disturbed  my  peace  of  mind. 

Now  it  is  proper  to  narrate  the  incident  which  finally 
transformed  me  into  a  full  and  complete  believer  in  this 
proposed  Church  Universal.  I  am,  as  some  of  j'ou 
know,  a  married  man.  I  have  a  boy  of  twelve,  Walter, 
and  a  girl  of  ten,  Alice.  Walter  has  an  inquisitive  and 
logical  mind,  and  plies  his  questions  in  rapid  succes- 
sion. Alice  is  thoughtful  and  reticent.  On  Sunday 
morning,  about  six  weeks  ago,  Walter  suddenly  asked 
me  whether  Adam  and  Eve  were  ever  in  the  United 
States.  I  replied  that  the  Bible  told  us  Adam  and  Eve 
were  created  in  the  Garden  of  Eden,  in  Asia. 

"  Were  the  Indians  Adam  and  Eve's  children  ?  "  he 
asked.     I  told  him  that  the  Bible  taught  that  all  human 


374  Let  There  Be  Light 

beings  came  from  Adam  and  Eve.  "  Did  Jesus  suffer 
in  the  United  States,"  lie  continued,  "  to  show  the  In- 
dians that  He  died  for  them  ?  "  "  The  Bible  does  not 
say  so,"  I  answered.  "  Then,  in  that  case,"  observ^ed 
Walter,  "  the  Indians  must  have  been  created  to  suffer 
punishment  forever."  "  No,"  I  said,  "  for  Columbus 
brought  Christian  teachers  with  him  when  he  came." 
"  But  Columbus  only  came  here  in  1492,"  objected 
Walter.  "  Where  did  all  the  Indians  go  to  that  died 
between  the  year  one  and  1492  ?  " 

This  question  I  was  not  immediatel}'  compelled  to  re- 
pl3'  to,  for  m}^  wife,  observing  my  embarrassment,  sent 
Walter  out  on  an  errand.  But  the  expedient  was  with- 
out avail,  for  Alice  came  up  and  wanted  to  know  the 
answer.  I  told  her  that  it  was  a  hard  question,  and  I 
would  look  it  up. 

In  the  evening,  Walter  began  again  to  pi}'  me  with 
questions  on  the  Bible,  many  of  which  I  did  not  care  to 
answer  just  as  they  are  answered  at  our  meetings. 
Suddenly  an  idea  came  to  me,  and  I  said  to  both 
children  :  "  To-morrow  there  will  be  something  in  this 
room  that  will  answer  questions  ;  look  around  sharply, 
and  tell  me  to-morrow  night  if  it  is  not  so." 

The  next  morning  I  placed  on  a  small  table  in  a 
corner  of  the  room  a  plant,  a  glass  bottle  of  water  and 
a  clod  of  earth. 

On  m}'  return  from  work  that  evening,  I  was  met  by 
the  question  from  Walter  :  "  Papa,  you  told  us  last 
night  there  would  be  something  in  this  room  to-day 
that  would  answer  questions.  We  have  looked  every- 
where, but  cannot  find  it.  Where  is  it  ?  "  I  glanced 
at  the  table,  and  saw  that  it  was  bare.  "  Look  again 
to-morrow,"  I  said. 

After  the  children  had  gone  to  bed,  I  asked  my  wife 


Time  and  Further  Thought       375 

whether  she  had  noticed  some  things  I  had  put  on  the 
table.  She  replied  that  Alice  had  found  some  earth 
there,  and  had  thrown  it  into  the  yard. 

"  Did  you  see  anything  else  ?  "  I  asked.  . 

"  No,"  she  answered  ;  then,  correcting  herself,  she 
added,  "  Yes,  I  did  find  a  plant,  and  I  took  it  off  and 
put  it  on  the  window-sill." 

"  Anything  else  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Yes,"  she  said;  "  Walter  brought  me  a  bottle  that 
held  something  he  thought  was  medicine,  and  I  put  it 
on  the  shelf     There  it  is." 

I  told  my  wife  that  I  had  put  these  objects  on  the 
table  for  a  purpose  ;  that  I  was  going  to  replace  them 
there,  and  that  I  wished  she  would  see  that  they  re- 
mained there,  and  would  watch  the  results  with  me. 
Her  curiosit}^  was  aroused  and  she  asked  my  purpose. 
I  replied  that  I  was  making  an  experiment,  and  that 
she  would  find  it  more  interesting  to  watch  its  effect 
on  the  children  than  to  be  told  my  object.  She  readily 
assented,  and  early  in  the  morning  the  three  objects 
were  again  placed  on  the  small  table. 

On  returning  from  work  that  night,  I  saw  that  the 
objects  were  still  in  place.  Almost  as  I  entered  I  was 
met  by  Walter,  who  said  :  "  Papa,  Alice  and  I  have 
looked  all  around  the  room,  but  we  could  not  see  any- 
thing that  answered  questions.     Where  is  it  ?  " 

I  opened  the  Bible  and  bade  Walter  read  the  passage 
I  pointed  out  :  "  The}'  have  mouths,  but  they  speak 
not,  e3'es  have  they,  but  they  see  not  ;  they  have  ears, 
but  they  hear  not,  noses  have  they,  but  they  smell  not." 

"  That  is  said  of  idols,  is  n't  it  ?  "  asked  Alice. 

"Yes,"  I  replied,  "and  it  may  also  be  said  of 
idolaters." 

"  Then,"  said  Walter,  "  if  there  is  something  in  this 


3/6  Let  There  Be  Light 

room  that  answers  questions,  and  if  we  do  not  speak  to 
it,  or  see  it,  or  hear  it,  or  smell  it,  are  we  idolaters?  " 

"  We  shall  see  b}'  and  by,"  I  answered. 

"  I  thought,  Papa,"  said  Alice,  "  that  the  little  table 
over  there  perhaps  had  on  it  the  things  that  answer 
questions  ;  but  all  I  can  see  is  the  plant;  and  plants 
cannot  answer  questions,  can  they  ?  " 

"  We  shall  find  that  out,  too,"  I  replied. 

As  we  were  all  seated  at  supper,  Walter  asked  to  be 
excused,  rose  and  went  over  to  the  small  table,  where 
he  stood  for  some  time,  gazing  intently  at  the  objects. 
Finally  he  came  over  to  me. 

"  Papa,  what  is  in  the  bottle?  "  "  Water,"  I  re- 
plied. 

He  went  back  and  again  stood  gazing  at  the  objects 
on  the  small  table.  As  we  rose  from  supper  he  came 
to  me  and  said:   "  Papa,  I  think  I  know  now." 

' '  What  is  it,  my  son  ?  ' ' 

' '  I  think  you  mean  that  plants  need  water  and  earth, 
don't  you  ?  " 

"  Well,"  I  said,  "  you  and  Alice  can  find  that  out 
for  yourselves;  to-morrow  if  3'ou  can;  if  not,  don't  give 
up  trying  all  the  days  of  your  lives.  You  may  tell  me 
to-morrow  night  what  questions  have  been  answered." 

The  next  evening  Walter  met  me  at  the  door,  and 
exclaimed,  "  Papa,  I  have  found  out  :  God  made  earth 
and  water  in  order  to  give  us  plants.     Is  n't  that  so  ?  " 

"  Up  to  now,  children,"  I  said,  "  3'ou  have  asked  the 
questions,  and  I  have  answered  them  ;  but  in  this  case 
I  will  ask  the  questions  and  see  how  you  answer. 
Now,  Alice,  what  have  these  things  told  you  ?  " 

"They  tell  me,"  she  replied,  "that  God  makes 
pretty  leaves  and  sweet-smelling  flowers  from  earth  and 
water. '  * 


Time  and  Further  Thought       377 

"  Well,"  said  I,  "we  will  see  what  they  tell  you  to- 
morrow. ' ' 

On  Wednesday  evening  Walter  said  he  had  been  an- 
swered another  question  :  "  God  must  be  very  wise  to 
make  plants  grow  from  earth  and  water." 

"  And  what  questions  of  yours  have  been  answered, 
Alice?" 

"  I  have  been  answered  that  God  loves  to  make  beau- 
tiful leaves  and  flowers." 

"  You  are  both  being  answered  at  last,"  I  remarked. 
"  Try  again,  and  keep  on  trying,  and  in  time  you  will 
receive  many  and  wonderful  answers  ;  answers  that 
will  bring  you  nearer  to  God,  and  will  cause  you  to 
understand  Him  much  better  and  much  more  clearly 
than  you  now  understand  Him." 

On  Thursday  evening  both  children  met  me,  eager 
to  impart  their  discoveries.  Alice  said  :  "  Oh,  Papa, 
the  question  answered  to-day  was  that  God  must  be 
beautiful;  for  the  leaves  He  makes  on  the  plants  are  so 
beautiful,  and  so  are  the  flowers,  that  we  copy  them  on 
the  wall-paper  and  on  the  matting,  on  the  oil-cloth, 
on  the  bowl  of  the  lamp,  on  the  window-shades,  and 
on  calico  and  on  embroidery." 

Walter  said:  "  I  was  answered  this.  I  used  to  know 
that  water  was  clear  and  clean  and  good  to  drink,  and 
I  used  to  think  that  earth  was  just  dirt  and  nothing 
more  ;  but  now  I  see  that  earth  is  very  wonderful,  and 
that  it  can  do  more  wonderful  things  than  a  sleight-of- 
hand  man.     I   now  see  that  God  is  very  wise." 

This  experiment  clearly  indicated  to  me  several 
things  :  first,  that  the  lack  of  knowledge  of  God's  laws 
by  the  children  showed  that  there  had  been  some  funda- 
mental error  in  the  system  of  religious  training ;  second, 
that  the  new  system,  which  I  had  tried,  seemed  far  more 


Z7^  Let  There  Be  Light 

potent  as  a  means  of  religious  education  than  the  old  ; 

third,  that  under  the  new  system  my  children  would 
be  likely  to  develop  into  much  higher  types  of  man 
and  woman  than  under  the  old ;  fourth,  that  the  same 
could  be  said  of  the  religious  training  of  all  other 
children. 

Feeling  secure  in  this  conclusion,  I  placed  before  my 
wife  the  whole  matter  of  the  contention  engaging  our 
attention.  After  some  consideration,  she  advised  that 
we  give  the  new  system  a  further  trial.  I  therefore 
spoke  to  the  children,  and  told  them  to  study  as  they 
had  done,  and  to  continue  to  ask  questions  and  to  find 
answers,  and  to  report  to  me  a  week  after  the  following 
Sunday. 

In  addition,  I  asked  Walter  to  memorise  the  follow- 
ing verse  of  Psalm  civ.:  "  O  Lord,  how  manifold  are 
thy  works  !  in  wisdom  hast  thou  made  them  all." 
Also  to  memorise  the  following  verses  of  Psalm  xix. : 
"  The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God;  and  the  firma- 
ment sheweth  his  handywork.  Day  unto  day  uttereth 
speech,  and  night  unto  night  sheweth  knowledge. 
There  is  no  speech  nor  language,  where  their  voice  is 
not  heard.  Their  line  is  gone  out  through  all  the 
earth." 

To  Alice  I  said  :  "  You  told  me  that  God  loves  to 
make  beautiful  leaves  and  flowers.  Now  I  wish  you 
to  ask  the  leaves  and  flowers  this  question  :  Ask  them 
to  tell  you  what  it  is  that  makes  them  beautiful." 

My  wife,  entering  into  the  spirit  of  this  new  experi- 
ment, took  pains  to  aid  the  children  in  their  new  tasks. 
She  took  them  both  on  several  occasions  to  Central 
Park,  and  on  one  occasion  to  the  country.  The  child- 
ren displayed  considerable  enthusiasm  in  this  new 
method  of  religious  training,  and  when  the  appointed 


Time  and  Further  Thought       379 

time  for  review  came  they  were  anxious  to  have  me 
proceed. 

Much  as  I  should  hke  to  enter  fully  into  the  details 
of  this  review,  I  am  constrained  to  shorten  the  recital 
considerably,  as  I  am  mindful  that  I  should  not  consume 
too  much  of  the  time  of  this  association.  Both  of  the 
children  had  gathered  together  quite  a  collection  of  ob- 
jects which  they  sorted  out  on  the  table.  Among  them 
were  insects,  leaves,  grasses,  flowers  and  pebbles. 

Walter,  on  being  questioned,  said:  "  Papa,  I  see  now 
that  the  verses  you  asked  me  to  learn  by  heart  are  very 
good,  because  they  help  me  to  ask  questions  of  the 
rocks,  the  pebbles,  the  insects  and  of  many  things.  I 
find  that  they  do  not  answer  questions  just  as  soon  as 
you  ask,  but  I  have  to  ask  the  same  questions  many 
times,  and  some  are  not  answered  yet. 

"  I  never  knew  before,"  he  continued,  "  how  wise 
and  good  God  is.  I  know  now  by  the  answers  of  these 
insects  and  these  pebbles  and  these  leaves.  But  I  can 
find  no  answer  to  the  line.  Will  you  please  tell  me 
that  one  answer  ? ' ' 

"  What  line?"  I  asked. 

"You  told  me  to  study,  'Their  line  is  gone  out 
through  all  the  earth,'  and  I  cannot  tell  what  it  means. 
I  thought  at  first  it  meant  a  telegraph-wire  or  a  cable 
telegraph,  but  they  did  not  have  those  in  Bible  times." 

"  No,  my  son,"  I  replied,  "it  means  the  line  of  truth, 
and  it  is  made  plain  and  clear  to  us  by  God's  laws." 

"But,  Papa,"  said  Walter,  "I  cannot  understand 
you  ;  not  as  I  can  when  I  ask  questions  of  the  water, 
the  earth,  the  plants  and  the  things  here  before  us,  and 
when  they  give  me  the  answer." 

"  I  will  try  to  make  it  clear,"  I  said.  So,  taking  up 
a  glass,   I  partially   filled   it  with   water,   and   asked 


380  Let  There  Be  Light 

Walter  to  get  me  a  piece  of  ice  from  the  ice-chest. 
This  he  did.  Placing  the  piece  of  ice  in  the  water,  I 
said:  "  You  see  what  proportion  of  this  remains  above, 
and  what  proportion  remains  below,  the  water-line  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  see,"  he  replied. 

"  Well,"  said  I,  "  if  this  tumbler  were  an  ocean,  and 
if  the  piece  of  ice  were  many  hundred  million  times 
larger,  the  ice  would  preserve  the  same  proportions 
above  and  below  the  water-line  that  it  does  in  this 
glass.     Do  you  see  now  ?  ' ' 

"  Oh,  yes,"  he  gleefully  replied.  "  I  see  now  that 
the  line  of  truth  goes  in  every  direction."  After  a 
moment's  thoughtful  hesitation  he  added:  "  Papa,  may 
I  ask  you  just  a  few  more  questions  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"Does  the  law  of  truth,"  he  asked,  "God's  law, 
ever  change  ?  "  I  replied  by  handing  him  the  Bible, 
from  which  I  asked  him  to  read  Psalm  cxvii. :  "O 
praise  the  Lord,  all  ye  nations  :  praise  him,  all  ye 
people.  For  his  merciful  kindness  is  great  toward  us  : 
and  the  truth  of  the  Lord  endureth  forever." 

"Yes,  I  see,"  he  continued,  "but  last  Sunday  at 
Sunday-school  the  teacher  told  us  that  the  Israelites 
crossed  the  Jordan  River,  and  that  God  pushed  the 
river  away  on  both  sides,  and  that  all  the  people  walked 
over  on  dry  land,  and  when  they  were  over  on  the 
other  side  the  water  rushed  back  again.  Do  you  be- 
lieve that  ?  "  he  asked,  looking  at  me  earnestl5^ 

I  hesitated  a  long  time  before  giving  a  reply;  in  fact, 
so  long  that  Walter,  thinking  I  had  forgotten  to  an- 
swer, asked  the  question  again.  I  realised  fully  the 
effect  which  my  reply  would  have  on  my  children,  on 
my  wife  and  on  myself.  And  of  a  sudden  my  mind 
was  made  up,  and  I  said,  "  No,  I  do  not  believe  it," 


Time  and  Further  Thought       381 

"  Why  did  the  Sunday-school  teacher  tell  a  story 
then  ?  ' '  asked  Walter. 

"  Perhaps  because  he  did  not  know  better,"  I 
answered. 

"  But  why  should  a  Sunday-school  teacher  not  know 
better,  and  why  should  he  tell  stories  ?  Why  should  n't 
he  teach  us  God's  true  laws  as  you  teach  them  to  us, 
through  earth,  water  and  plants  ?  " 

' '  Perhaps  he  will  know  better  in  time  to  come, ' '  I 
said. 

"  If  that  story  is  in  the  Bible,"  observed  Walter, 
thoughtfully,  "  and  if  it  is  not  true,  does  n't  it  spoil  the 
whole  Bible?" 

I  replied  to  him,  giving  as  an  explanation  an  almost 
literal  recital  of  the  statement  made  by  our  president  on 
that  subject  at  our  several  meetings.  This  seemed  to 
satisfy  the  children. 

I  then  asked  Alice  whether  she  had  asked  the  leaves 
and  flowers  the  question  what  it  was  that  made  them 
beautiful  ;  and  she  replied  : 

"  Yes,  Papa,  I  did  ask  them,  and  they  told  me  that 
they  w^ere  beautiful  because  the  flowers  smelt  sweet, 
and  because  the  colours  were  so  lovely  and  the  leaves 
so  regular." 

"  Why,  Alice,"  I  said,  "I  am  astonished  that  you 
say  the  leaves  are  regular.  Straight  lines  are  regular, 
but  leaves  are  not  straight  lines,  are  they?"  She 
hesitated  for  some  moments,  and  then  replied,  "  I  don't 
mean  the  kind  of  regular  that  straight  lines  make. 
That  is  not  nearly  so  pretty  as  regular  made  with 
crooked  lines,  like  the  pattern  on  the  calico  in  Mamma's 
dress,  or  what  is  painted  on  the  bowl  of  the  lamp." 

I  asked  her  to  continue  her  explanation.  "  You 
can  see  by  this  leaf,"  she  said,  "  that  God  makes  this 


382  Let  There  Be  Light 

side  of  the  leaf  a  little  wider  than  the  other  side  on  a 
straight  line  across  ;  but  the  other  half  of  the  leaf  on 
the  other  side  of  the  stem  is  just  as  wide  a  little  higher 
up.  I  suppose  God  does  this  so  as  not  to  make  the 
other  half  of  the  leaf  jealous.  Now  when  we  tear  oflF  a 
piece  of  the  leaf  it  is  no  longer  beautiful,  because  it  is 
crooked  and  not  regular  ;  it  is^ spoiled." 

I  was  surprised  and  delighted  to  find  that  the  inter- 
pretation of  beauty  in  form,  as  made  by  Alice,  bordered 
closely  on  that  of  harmony.  It  was,  therefore,  a  com- 
paratively easy  task  for  me  to  elaborate  on  what  she 
had  said,  and,  from  the  theme  of  beauty  in  form,  to  de- 
duce the  beauty  of  noble  thought  and  act.  This  I  did, 
employing  almost  the  exact  words  used  by  our  worthy 
president  when  he  spoke  on  the  same  subject. 

After  listening  earnestly  to  what  I  had  to  say,  Alice 
asked  :  "  Does  the  Bible  teach  the  same  things  that 
you  are  saying  now  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "  for  Saint  Paul,  in  the  Epistle  to 
the  Philippians,  says  :  '  Whatsoever  things  are  true, 
whatsoever  things  are  honest,  whatsoever  things  are 
just,  whatsoever  things  are  pure,  whatsoever  things 
are  lovely,  whatsoever  things  are  of  good  report  ;  if 
there  be  any  virtue,  and  if  there  be  any  praise,  think 
on  these  things.'  " 

"  And,  Papa,"  said  Walter,  "  I  like  that  place  in  the 
Bible  where  it  says,  '  Thej^  have  mouths,  but  they  speak 
not,  eyes  have  they  but  they  see  not  ;  they  have  ears, 
but  they  hear  not,  noses  have  they,  but  they  smell  not.' 
Does  n't  that  mean  that  people  who  do  not  see  God's 
works  are  idolaters  ?  ' ' 

"  Instead  of  answering  that  question,  I  prefer  to 
have  you  and  Alice  answer  it.  And  in  order  to  help 
you  answer  properly,  I  will  ask  you  a  few  questions. 


Time  and  Further  Thought       383 

Tell  me,  Alice,  is  a  Christian  praying  in  a  Christian 
church  an  idolater  ?  " 

"  No,  for  Christians  are  believers  in  God,  and  are 
not  idolaters." 

"  What  would  5'ou  call  a  Chinaman  praying  before 
idols  in  a  Chinese  temple  ?  " 

' '  I  should  call  him  an  idolater,  because  people  who 
worship  idols  are  idolaters." 

"  That  is  true,"  I  remarked  ;  "  but  let  us  continue. 
Supposing  some  Christian  were  to  ask  the  Chinaman  to 
stop  going  to  the  Chinese  temple,  and  to  stop  praying  to 
idols,  and  were  to  ask  him,  instead,  to  attend  Christian 
service  and  to  praj'  to  God  ;  supposing,  further,  that 
this  Chinaman  came  to  the  Christian  church, —  would 
he,  then,  any  longer  be  an  idolater  ?  " 

"No,"  replied  Alice. 

"  But,  Papa,"  observed  Walter,  "  I  think  Alice  has 
made  a  mistake  in  that  answer  ;  for  a  Christian  could 
go  to  an  idol  church  and  not  be  an  idolater,  and  a  man 
who  believes  in  idols  could  go  to  a  Christian  church  and 
still  believe  in  idols.     Is  that  not  so  ?  " 

"  Yes,  you  are  right  ;  but  let  us  still  continue.  Sup- 
posing that  the  Chinaman  we  are  speaking  of,  on  visit- 
ing a  Christian  church,  were  asked  to  give  up  believing 
in  idols  and  were  asked  to  believe  in  God.  Let  us 
further  suppose  that  he  were  given  a  Bible  ;  could  we 
not  then  say  that  he  was  no  longer  an  idolater  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  replied  Alice,  "  for  idolaters  do  not  believe 
in  the  Bible." 

"  I  think  Alice  has  made  another  mistake,"  said 
Waller. 

"How?"  I  asked. 

"  Because  the  Chinaman  could  have  a  Bible  and  not 
read  it,  or  he  could  read  it  but  not  believe  it." 


M 


Let  There  Be  Light 


"  And  what  would  that  remind  you  of,  Walter  ?  " 
"  It  would  be  like  the  passage  in  the  Bible  that  you 
told  me  to  study:  *  They  have  mouths,  but  they  speak 
not,  ej^es  have  they  but  they  see  not  ;  they  have  ears, 
but  they  hear  not.'  " 


CHAPTER  XIvV 


THE  TWO    TRAVELLERS 


A 


ND  now,  children,"  I  said,  "  pay  attention  to  this 
story:  A  long  time  ago  there  lived  a  boy  who 
was  cruel,  wicked  and  foolish.  His  father  tried  hard  to 
make  him  better,  but  could  not  do  so.  One  day,  the 
father  called  the  boy,  and  said  :  '  You  are  so  cruel  and 
wicked  and  foolish  that  I  am  ashamed  of  you  ;  if  you 
do  not  stop  being  so  bad  you  will  be  driven  out  of  the 
city.  The  reason  you  are  so  bad  is  that  you  do  not 
often  go  to  church  and  you  do  not  pray;  now  hereafter 
I  wish  you  to  go  to  church  and  pray.' 

"  So  the  boy  went  to  church  and  prayed,  and  he 
knelt  down  before  an  altar  on  which  was  a  great  statue, 
and  the  statue  was  called  a  god;  and  near  the  big  statue 
were  many  small  statues  of  gods.  And  when  the  boy 
looked  about  the  church,  and  saw  that  the  great  and 
small  statues  were  prettier  than  any  other  things  in  the 
city,  he  liked  them,  and  he  brought  them  presents,  and 
knelt  down  in  front  of  them  and  pra5'ed  to  them. 

"  But,  strange  to  say,  the  boy  did  not  become  better 
at  all;  in  fact,  he  became  even  more  cruel,  more  wicked 
and  more  foolish.  So  one  day  his  father  called  him  and 
said,  '  I  am  very  angry  with  you,  and  have  a  mind  to 

385 


386  Let  There  Be  Light 

punish  5'ou  severelj'  for  your  wickedness.  Tell  me 
how  it  is  that  going  to  church  and  praying  do  not  make 
you  better.'  '  I  think,'  said  the  boy,  '  that  you  have 
no  reason  to  punish  me.'  '  Why  not  ? '  asked  the  father 
angrily.  '  How  can  I  be  better,'  replied  the  boy, 
'  when  you  and  the  priests  of  the  church  and  the  police- 
men and  the  judges  and  all  the  people  are  just  as  cruel 
and  wicked  and  foolish  as  I  am  ?  '  '  But  that  is  because 
you  and  I  and  the  people  do  not  go  to  church  often 
enough, '  said  the  father  ;  '  nor  do  we  pray  hard  enough, 
nor  do  we  place  as  many  presents  on  the  altar  as  we 
should.' 

"  And  so  the  boy  went  oftener  to  church,  and  prayed 
harder,  and  placed  more  presents  on  the  altar  ;  but  all 
this  only  made  him  worse.  And  all  the  other  people 
of  the  city  became  worse  ;  and  they  began  fighting,  one 
with  the  other,  and  when  the  boy  saw  this,  he  ran  away 
from  home,  and  left  the  city  and  came  to  another  city. 
And  when  he  had  come  there,  he  was  told  why  he  had 
been  so  bad.  He  was  told  that  it  was  because  he  be- 
lieved in  false  gods  ;  and  that  if  he  would  no  longer  be- 
lieve in  them,  but  would  go  to  the  church  in  the  city  to 
which  he  had  now  come,  he  would  no  longer  be  bad. 
And  when  he  came  to  the  church  in  this  city,  he  saw 
that  they  also  had  statues  near  the  altar,  and  these 
statues  were  prettier  than  those  in  the  church  of  the 
city  from  which  he  had  come.  So  he  began  to  hate 
the  statues  that  he  used  to  like,  and  told  stories  against 
them  ;  and  he  began  to  like  the  new  church  and  the 
new  statues,  and  he  went  often  and  prayed  to  them,  and 
gave  them  many  presents.  But,  strange  to  say,  he  saw 
that  he  did  not  become  any  better.  And  when  he 
looked  more  closely,  he  saw  that  all  the  policemen  and 
the  judges  and  all  the  people  were  just  as  cruel,  vvncked 


The  Two  Travellers  387 

and  foolish  as  were  those  in  the  city  from  which  he  had 
come  ;  and  so  he  felt  very  sad,  and  he  wept. 

"  While  he  sat  weeping,  there  passed  that  way  a 
traveller,  who  stopped  and  asked  the  boy  why  he  wept, 
and  the  boy  told  him.  Then  the  traveller  pitied  the 
poor  boy  and  loved  him  ;  and  he  said  to  the  boy,  '  I  too 
lived  in  a  city  where  the  people  were  cruel,  wicked  and 
foolish  ;  and  I  left  the  city  and  became  a  wanderer,  and 
I  am  going  from  place  to  place,  trying  to  find  a  city 
where  the  people  are  not  cruel,  wicked  or  foolish.  I 
have  already  been  to  many  places,  and  I  have  not  yet 
found  the  city  where  the  people  are  good  ;  but  I  shall 
continue  my  journey,  and  hope  that  I  may  at  last  find 
what  I  seek.' 

"  And  when  the  boy  heard  these  words  he  fell  down 
on  his  knees  before  the  traveller,  and  begged  to  go  with 
him.  And  the  traveller  bent  down  and  raised  the  poor 
boy  up,  and  embraced  him  and  said  that  he  would  take 
him  as  a  companion.  So  the  traveller  took  the  hand 
of  the  boy,  and  they  travelled  together. 

"  They  travelled  on  for  a  long  time  from  city  to  city, 
for  manj^  years  ;  and  the  traveller's  hair  became  grey 
with  age,  and  the  boy  had  grown  to  be  a  man  ;  but 
they  had  not  yet  found  the  city  of  the  good.  And  the 
travellers  one  day  became  weary,  and  they  lay  down 
by  the  roadside  to  rest  them.  While  they  were  reclin- 
ing on  the  ground,  they  each  dreamt  a  beautiful  dream; 
and  when  they  awoke  the  elder  traveller  said  to  the 
younger  one,  '  Behold  !  I  have  dreamt  a  most  wonder- 
ful and  beautiful  dream  ;  shall  I  tell  it  you  ?  ' 

Yes,  tell  it  me,'  replied  the  younger  traveller, 
'  for  I,  too,  have  dreamt  a  most  beautiful  dream  ;  but 
first  tell  me  5'ours,  and  when  you  have  told  your  dream 
I    will   tell   you   mine.'       '  I   dreamt,'   said  the   elder 


388  Let  There  Be  Light 

traveller,  '  that  a  most  sweet  voice  spoke  to  me  and 
said,  "  My  son  :  thou  art  now  near  the  Good  City  in 
which  is  my  Holy  Temple  ;  enter  therein,  and  bring 
with  thee  thy  neighbour,  and  behold  and  worship. 
Then  shall  ye  be  joyful,  and  shall  abide  among  the 
blessed  forever."  ' 

"  Then  spoke  the  younger  traveller,  '  Lo  !  I  did 
dream  the  very  same  dream.  Let  us,  therefore,  look 
around  us,  and  see  whether  the  sweet  voice  in  the 
dream  spoke  the  truth  ;  let  us  see  if  the  Good  City 
and  the  Holy  Temple  are  near.' 

"  And  they  both  looked  around  them,  even  to  the 
north,  to  the  south,  to  the  east  and  to  the  west,  but 
they  could  see  no  Temple. 

"  Then  said  the  elder  traveller,  '  Look  you,  the 
mountains  are  before  us  ;  let  us  go  there,  and  it  may  be 
that  the  Good  City  and  the  Holy  Temple  which  the 
sweet  voice  spoke  of  are  hidden  in  the  foot  hills  ;  or  they 
may  be  on  the  top  of  the  high  mountains;  or  perhaps 
when  we  are  on  the  top  of  the  mountains  we  shall 
behold  the  Holy  Temple  on  the  other  side.' 

"  Then  they  took  up  each  his  staff  and  travelled  to 
the  mountains  ;  but  though  they  wandered  about  in 
every  direction,  they  could  not  see  the  Good  City  or 
the  Holy  Temple.  Wearied  and  footsore,  both  travel- 
lers began  to  bemoan  their  disappointment,  and  they 
made  loud  lamentations,  and  began  each  to  curse  the 
voice  which  they  had  heard  in  their  dreams,  saying 
it  was  a  voice  of  deception. 

"  And  as  they  were  thus  bemoaning  and  lamenting 
and  cursing,  there  appeared  unto  them  an  aged  man  of 
most  gentle  mien.  His  face  was  .serene  and  honest, 
and  pity  and  love  shone  from  his  eyes  ;  his  brow  was 
lofty,  and  his  step  was  firm  and  kingly.     Coming  up  to 


The  Two  Travellers  389 

the  travellers,  he  spoke  to  them  and  said,  '  My  neigh- 
bours and  my  brethren,  why  lament  ye,  and  why  do 
ye  utter  curses  ?  ' 

"  And  they  told  the  reason  of  their  lamenting  and  of 
their  cursing  ;  how  the  sweet  voice  had  deceived  them, 
and  how  they  could  not  find  the  Good  City  or  the  Holy 
Temple. 

"  '  Say  not  so,'  replied  the  kingly  stranger.  '  Lament 
no  more,  and  cease  your  cursing,  for  the  sweet  voice 
which  spake  unto  you  is  the  voice  of  your  own  immortal 
souls.  Your  souls  have  not  deceived  you  ;  the  Good 
City,  the  Holy  Temple,  are  indeed  near.' 

"'Where?'  eagerly  asked  the  travellers,  looking 
around  them. 

"  '  Behold  !  '  replied  the  kingly  stranger.  '  Behold 
it,  then,  here  ; —  this  mountain,  yonder  plain,  these 
streams,  the  sun,  the  trees,  these  flowers,  the  earth 
whereon  you  stand,  the  stars  overhead  and  the  vast 
ocean, —  all  these  are  the  Holy  Temple.  Enter  ye  into 
it,  and  take  for  teacher,  priest  and  minister  the  sun- 
beam, the  flower,  the  grain  of  sand,  the  leaf  of  the  tree, 
and  colour  and  sound  and  sight,  and  study  diligently 
now  and  all  the  days  of  your  lives.  Then  shall  a  holy 
light  be  kindled  in  your  souls,  and  ye  shall  be  inspired 
with  the  heavenly  music  of  the  All-Father  and  the 
One-Father.  And  when  ye  shall  have  entered  into  the 
Temple,  and  shall  have  caused  your  neighbours  and 
brethren  to  enter  likewise,  then  shall  sweet  and  holy 
peace  embrace  you,  and  crown  3^ou  all  children  of  the 
Most  High  and  only  God.'  " 

"Oh,  Papa,"  exclaimed  Alice,  "what  a  beautiful 
story  !     Do  tell  us  another  !  " 

"  Not  to-night,  Alice,"  I  said.  "  But  tell  me,  what 
does  this  story  teach  you  ?  ' ' 


390  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  It  teaches,"  she  answered,  "  that  God's  Holy- 
Temple,  God's  Holy  Church,  are  the  things  which 
God  has  made. ' ' 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "  you  are  right.  And  now, 
Walter,  what  does  all  this  teach  you  ?  " 

"  It  teaches  me,"  he  answered,  "  that  just  as  a  man 
who  believes  in  idols  may  go  to  a  Christian  church  and 
still  be  an  idolater,  so  a  Christian  who  does  not  know 
much  of  God's  works,  nor  love  them,  may  also  be  called 
an  idolater." 

"  You  have  answered  rightly,"  I  said. 

And  now,  Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen,  I 
do  not  deem  it  proper  to  take  up  more  of  your  time. 
You  can  j  udge  from  my  recital  what  changes  have  taken 
place  in  my  opinion  and  in  the  opinion  of  my  wife  and 
children.  I  now  unhesitatingly  stand  for  Truth  and 
for  Progress.  I  am  now  a  firm  convert  to  the  idea 
presented  by  our  worthy  president. 


CHAPTER  XLVI 

BKAUTY,    EQUITY   AND  JUSTICE 

Ezra. — The  next  speaker  will  be  Mr.  Fisher. 

I\Ir.  Fisher.— Mr.  President,  Ivadies  and  Gentlemen  : 
If  you  were  surprised  at  the  radical  change  of  opinion 
in  Mr.  Bradley,  you  will,  no  doubt,  be  even  more  sur- 
prised when  you  hear  my  story. 

For  some  few  days  after  the  conclusion  of  our  pre- 
ceding sessions  the  subject  of  our  contention  came  now 
and  then  to  ray  mind;  faintly  at  first,  and  more  strongly 
as  time  went  on.  This,  not  in  orderly  logical  sequence, 
but  in  a  form  jumbled  and  incoherent. 

One  thing  hovered  vaguely  but  continuously  in  my 
mind,  however,  and  that  was  a  semi-triumphant  im- 
pulse to  declare  m5'self  invincible.  Had  I  not  met  all 
the  contending  arguments  and  utterly  demolished  them? 
Had  not  the  contestants  gone  down  before  my  reasoning 
and  logic  as  saplings  fall  before  a  keen-edged  axe  ? 
Presently,  however,  the  dim  outline  of  a  mysterious 
doubt  began  to  make  itself  manifest.  It  caused  me  to 
interrogate  myself.  Why  was  it  that  I  made  no  head- 
way in  convincing  those  against  whom  I  contended  ? 
Was  it  because  their  comprehension  was  too  feeble  ? 
Were  my  power  of  reasoning  and  the  keenness  of  my 

391 


392  Let  There  Be  Light 

logic  too  much  for  their  understanding  ?  For  a  time 
I  thought  so,  and  thus  quieted  my  rising  doubts.  I 
finally  came  to  the  conclusion  that,  in  good  season,  my 
former  adversaries  would  reconsider  their  unjustifiable 
objections  and  would  come  over  to  my  side, —  to  the 
stronger,  clearer  and  more  logical  side. 

But,  strange  to  say,  the  doubt  remained.  Again  and 
again  I  tried  to  banish  it,  but  still  it  returned  stronger 
than  ever,  until  at  last,  in  a  surly  mood,  I  determined 
to  re- weigh  the  principal  contentions,  and  to  see  if  there 
were  any  weak  or  fallible  conclusions  on  my  side. 

The  first  important  point  that  presented  itself  to  me 
for  this  final  test  was  my  conclusion  as  to  the  mode  of 
procedure  for  the  amelioration  of  the  social  and  eco- 
nomic condition  of  the  industrial  class.  I  had  con- 
tended that  this  amelioration  could  be  effected  by 
coercive  physical  force.  I  had  shown  that  on  the  one 
hand  there  existed  already  the  force  of  concentrated 
wealth,  and  that  on  the  other  hand  there  was  a  possi- 
bility of  a  much  stronger  force, — that  of  organised  effort 
by  the  masses.  I  therefore  concluded  that  the  much 
stronger  force  of  the  organised  masses  could  with  ease 
subdue  the  weaker  force  of  concentrated  wealth.  Was 
not  this  a  most  logical  conclusion  ?  So  it  seemed,  until 
the  flaw  in  the  reasoning  appeared  to  my  mind. 

What  was  the  flaw?  This, —  which  the  president 
pointed  out  at  a  former  meeting  ;  that  the  force  of  con- 
centrated wealth  is  reinforced  by  the  additional  force 
of  the  monopoly  of  learning.  These  two  forces,  united 
and  inseparable,  are  much  stronger  than  the  force  of 
mere  numbers.  I  then  clearly  realised  that  the  clash 
between  concentrated  wealth  and  concentrated  numbers 
must  always  end  in  the  victory  of  wealth,  so  long  as 
wealth  is  reinforced  by  learning. 


Beauty,  Equity  and  Justice        393 

The  next  logical  step  in  the  inquiry  was  the  ques- 
tion :  Might  not  concentrated  numbers  acquire  the 
additional  force  of  learning,  and  thus,  and  forever, 
overthrow  the  tyranny  of  wealth  ?  And  I  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  under  our  present  system  this  is  an  im- 
possibility. For,  first  of  all,  concentrated  numbers 
may  only  obtain  that  measure  of  learning  which  the 
conditions  of  their  environment  permit ;  second,  this 
environment  is  shaped,  not  only  by  the  conditions  im- 
posed upon  it  by  the  concentrated  wealth  force,  but 
likewise,  and  in  an  equally  powerful  manner,  by  the 
predominant  religious  systems. 

There  can,  therefore,  be  no  amelioration  in  the 
condition  of  the  industrial  classes  through  force  ;  nor 
can  they  possess  themselves  of  the  additional  force  of 
learning  until  such  time  as  there  shall  be  brought 
about  a  radical  change  in  the  factors  which  produce 
their  environment. 

How  to  modify  the  factor  of  environment  became, 
-therefore,  a  leading  question.  And,  reflect  as  I  would, 
I  could  discern  no  other  avenue  than  through  a  radical 
change  in  the  religious  system.  There  must  be  a 
change  in  the  religious  theme,  and  this  change,  I  had 
contended,  in  common  with  all  radical  reformers,  should 
come  through  the  abolition  of  religion.  It  is  true  that 
certain  vague  doubts  had  arisen  in  my  mind  as  to  the 
absolute  conclusiveness  of  this  position;  but  these 
doubts  I  had  contemptuously  brushed  aside,  as  a  bully 
brushes  aside  a  feeble  antagonist  whom  he  cannot  over- 
come by  argument.  Yet  the  doubts  returned  and 
seemed  to  persist.  Again  and  again  I  tried  to  drive 
them  out,  but  could  not.  So  persistently  present  were 
these  doubts  that  they  tended  greatly  to  disturb  my 
peace  of  mind.     They  interfered  with  the  current  of 


394  Let  There  Be  Light 

all  my  thoughts,  caused  me  to  blunder  in  my  work,  to 
give  incoherent  answers  and  kept  me  awake  the  greater 
part  of  the  night.  At  last,  I  came  to  a  conclusion  ;  I 
determined  to  review  the  subject  once  and  for  all,  and, 
if  possible,  to  enter  into  the  question  with  my  mind  free 
from  au)^  preconceived  notions. 

This  conclusion,  once  in  my  mind,  restored  me  to  my 
normal  condition.  It  is  true  that  at  one  time  I  almost 
felt  ashamed  of  my  resolution,  deeming  it  weakness  ; 
but  then,  I  reasoned,  no  one  else  need  know  of  this 
personal  contention,  and  if  I  finally  succeed  in  forcing 
these  doubts  out  of  my  mind,  they  will  remain  con- 
quered for  good. 

And  so  I  began  :  First,  I  reasoned,  there  was  no  use 
in  going  over  the  Bible  ;  I  knew  that  it  contained 
statements  on  almost  every  page,  and  in  almost  every 
paragraph,  irreconcilable  with  my  mode  of  thought.  I 
therefore  took  up  ethics.  There  could  be  no  question 
about  the  authority  of  ethics,  nor  could  an}'  system  be 
valid  or  tenable  unless  built  on  an  ethical  foundation.' 
To  abolish  the  evils  of  the  present  S5'Stem  was  to  re- 
place them  with  good.  The  good  had  necessarily  to  be 
ethical,  and  the  evil  unethical.  The  question  then 
arose,  what  is  this  which  we  call  ethics  ?  And  the  an- 
swer came  to  me,  it  is  a  way, —  a  pathway  of  good. 
What  kind  of  good  ?  And  all  that  I  could  see  from 
my  then  point  of  view  was  that  it  was  a  kind  of  good 
which  might  remove  some  restrictions  from  the  masses 
and  thus  enable  them  to  enlarge  their  incomes. 

What  then  ?  What  satisfaction  would  it  be  to  me  to 
know  that  sundry  men,  women  and  children  had  more 
roast  beef,  or  better  shelter,  or  better  fitting  garments  ? 
What  greater  satisfaction  than  in  seeing  the  rich  pos- 
sess these  things  ?     Why  should  I  strive  for  this  ?    And 


Beauty,  Equity  and  Justice       395 

a  faint  echo  answered,  ' '  For  humanity's  sake. ' '  Query 
then  took  up  the  strain,  and  asked,  "  "What  is  hu- 
manity ?  "  And  a  motley,  heterogeneous  throng  of 
men,  women  and  children  passed  before  my  mind's  eye. 
What  was  I  to  them  ?     What  were  they  to  me  ? 

They  suffered.  So  do  horses  and  goats.  Should  I 
take  upon  myself  the  task  of  ameliorating  the  condition 
of  horses  and  goats  ?  Why  of  humanity  any  more  than 
of  brutes  ?  Or,  w^as  I  to  labour  for  the  amelioration  of 
humanity  in  order  that  my  condition,  too,  might  thereby 
be  ameliorated  ?  Must  I  wait  for  m\^  share  of  ameliora- 
tion until,  by  my  effort,  all  mankind  were  benefited  ? 
Would  it  not  be  an  easier  task  to  seek  amelioration  for 
myself,  and  for  myself  alone  ?  And  what  then  ?  Sup- 
posing that  I  had  found  amelioration,  that  I  had  found 
a  way  of  getting  better  food,  better  garments,  better 
shelter  and  an  accumulation  of  money,  should  I  then 
be  happy  ?  Should  I  then  be  any  better  off  than  a 
hog  in  better  quarters  ? 

Perplexed  and  sorrowful,  I  took  up  the  Bible  and 
read  :  "  For  what  hath  man  of  all  his  labour,  and  of 
the  vexation  of  his  heart,  wherein  he  hath  laboured 
under  the  sun  ?  For  all  his  days  are  sorrows,  and  his 
travail  grief  ;  yea,  his  heart  taketh  not  rest  in  the  night. 
This  is  also  vanity.  There  is  nothing  better  for  a 
man,  than  that  he  should  eat  and  drink,  and  that  he 
should  make  his  soul  enjoy  good  in  his  labour." 

I  threw  the  book  aside.  "  Shall  it  profit  me  to  in- 
crease my  weight  and  to  multiply  my  possessions?" 
I  thought.  "  Yea,  that  would  profit  the  worm  which 
may  in  the  end  consume  my  body  in  the  grave."  And 
in  my  grief  I  cried  aloud,  "  God  help  me  !  " 

That  cr}',  uttered  in  the  trouble  of  my  soul,  meant 
for  no  ear  but  my  own,  was  heard  by  a  friend,  a  pious 


39^  Let  There  Be  Light 

and  noble  woman,  Mrs.  Kirchner,  my  landlady.  She 
knocked  at  my  door,  and  I  bade  her  enter.  "  You  are 
troubled;  let  me  read  to  you,"  said  she.  So  she  took 
up  the  Bible  which  I  had  thrown  aside,  and,  opening  it 
reverently,  she  read:  "That  your  faith  should  not 
stand  in  the  wisdom  of  men,  but  in  the  power  of  God." 
"  Please  read  no  more,"  I  said  to  her  ;  "  I  will  try  to 
think  on  what  you  have  just  read."  Closing  the 
book,  she  placed  it  on  the  table  and  quietly  left  the 
room. 

"  That  your  faith  should  not  stand  in  the  wisdom  of 
men,  but  in  the  power  of  God."  Wisdom  of  men? 
No,  surely.  The  power  of  God  ?  Is  there  a  God  ?  I 
tried  to  think,  but  my  mind  became  confused,  and  I 
stared  blankly  at  the  wall  opposite.  Gradually  and 
unconsciously  my  attention  was  attracted  to  an  object 
on  the  mantel  shelf.  It  was  a  plaster  cast  of  Juno, 
that  goddess  of  the  ancient  Romans  and  Greeks.  The 
darkened  room  seemed  to  soften  the  proud  majesty 
of  the  classic  outline,  and  my  eyes  rested  upon  it  with 
pleasure. 

"  Speak  to  me,  goddess  of  old;  speak  to  me  of  the 
gods.  Tell  me,  ancient  queen  of  heaven, — tell  me  that 
which  shall  comfort  my  soul  and  give  me  hope. ' ' 

I  gazed  intently  on  the  figure  until,  from  mere  rest- 
lessness, I  was  about  to  turn  my  eyes  away;  but  I  could 
not  do  so.  The  object  before  me  held  me  spellbound, 
and  I  continued  to  stare  at  it  fixedly.  Of  a  sudden, 
the  words  of  our  president  came  to  my  mind.  Going 
to  the  bureau,  I  took  from  thence  my  copy  of  his  re- 
marks and  read  : 

"  Let  anyone  contemplate  the  unattractive  straight 
line  ;  then,  in  his  mind's  eye,  let  him  see  this  line  in- 
clined in  various  graceful  curves.     He  will  be  surprised 


Beauty,  Equity  and  Justice        397 

to  discover  that  those  curves  atid  lines  which  are  pro- 
uounced  artistic  are  in  efiFect  rhythmic  and  harmonious. 

"  Three  bold  curves  to  the  right  must  be  mated  by 
three  bold  curves  to  the  left.  In  other  words,  not 
Beauty  alone,  but  also  the  soul  of  Equity  and  Justice  is 
here  personified  and  materialised.  This  is  true  in  em- 
broidery, it  is  true  in  architecture,  it  is  true  in  geo- 
metry, it  is  true  in  sculpture. 

"  This  principle  is  equally  true  in  music,  in  the 
blending  of  colours.  It  is  true  in  poetry  and  prose. 
It  is  true  in  logic  and  it  is  true  in  philosophy.  It  is 
also  true  in  Justice,  in  Love,  in  Charity,  in  Inspiration 
and  in  Duty. 

' '  The  type  of  this  beauty  has  been  provided  for  us 
by  the  Father  of  Justice,  by  the  Father  of  Love  and 
Mercy,  by  God  Himself.  We  see  it  in  the  blade  of 
grass,  in  the  weed  by  the  roadside.  We  see  it  in  the 
trembling  leaf  on  the  tree  and  in  the  noble  form  of 
the  tree  itself.  We  see  it  in  the  insect,  in  the  fish,  in 
the  snowflake,  in  the  grain  of  sand,  in  the  mountain,  in 
the  globule  of  water.  And  last,  but  by  no  means  least, 
we  see  it  in  the  soul  of  man. 

"  Is  there  anything  in  the  whole  universe  that  does 
not  show  forth  song  and  beauty  ?  But  one  thing,  and 
that  is  sin  ;  and  sin  is  the  breaking  of  God's  law. 

"  Man,  knowing  all  this,  realising  all  this,  feeling  all 
this, —  shall  he  then  want  for  words  of  praise,  shall  he 
lack  for  prayers  to  help  him  on  with  a  high  resolve  ?  " 

"  So  then,"  I  said,  as  I  replaced  the  paper,  and  again 
contemplated  the  figure  before  me,  "  the  Greeks,  by 
searching,  found  God  through  the  harmony  of  concrete 
form.  Yes,  the  beauty  is  there, — there  in  that  figure  ; 
the  beauty  is  there  because  harmony  is  there.  And 
this  harmony,  is  it  not  but  another  word  for  equity,  for 


39^  Let  There  Be  Light 

justice  ?  Let  me  test  it."  And,  hastily  rising,  I  went 
over  to  the  mantel  shelf,  picked  up  a  tack-hammer  and 
gave  the  figure  a  sharp,  sudden  blow,  which  chipped 
oflf  a  piece  of  the  nose.  I  was  startled  to  see  the  effect  ; 
for  the  figure  was  no  longer  beautiful.  It  was  now 
hideousl}'  grotesque  and  ugly.  Seating  myself,  I  again 
tried  to  contemplate  it,  but  the  distorting  ugliness  dis. 
turbed  ni}^  mind,  so  I  removed  the  object  from  its  place 
and  threw  it  into  the  waste  basket. 

When  I  had  again  seated  myself,  a  new  train  of 
thought  incidental  to  my  recent  experience  filled  my 
mind.  Instinctively,  I  drew  my  chair  to  the  table  ; 
lighting  my  lamp,  I  took  up  a  pencil  and  began  tracing 
lines  on  some  paper  before  me.  I  was  fairly  conversant 
with  the  art  of  free-hand  drawing;  indeed,  it  is  a  neces- 
sarj'  part  of  my  trade.  I  had,  however,  up  to  that  time 
felt  no  special  inclination  for  any  artistic  effort.  But 
now  I  was  animated  with  an  intense  desire  to  produce 
artistic  designs.  It  was  late  when  I  retired,  and  I  had 
used  up  all  the  paper  before  me.  The  next  day  I  laid 
in  a  stock  of  paper,  and  also  procured  a  set  of  drawing 
instruments,  and  I  continued  using  all  my  spare  time 
in  this,  to  me,  new  field  of  investigation.  Desiring  to 
overcome  promptly  some  technical  difficulties,  I  took 
lessons  from  a  competent  teacher. 

As  a  result  of  all  this  eff"ort  I  made  rapid  progress, 
nor  did  I  confine  my  investigation  and  study  to  this 
subject  alone.  My  attention  was  also  attracted  to  the 
various  branches  of  my  daily  work,  and,  as  you  may 
know,  there  is  ample  scope  in  cabinet-making,  at  which 
I  am  employed,  for  the  practical  application  of  this 
theme. 

The  rapid  advance  which  I  made  in  artistic  design- 
ing was,  no  doubt,  due  almost  entirely  to  my  zeal  and 


Beauty,  Equity  and  Justice        399 

to  the  cause  which  actuated  it.  This  zeal,  likewise, 
largely  entered  into  all  my  labour,  and  incidentally 
raised  me  in  the  estimation  of  my  employer  who,  from 
having  previously  considered  me  in  the  light  of  an 
agitator  and  an  indifferent  workman,  began  now,  under 
the  changed  condition,  to  give  me  more  than  ordinary 
consideration. 

One  morning,  about  three  weeks  ago,  he  called  me 
into  the  office  and  said,  "  Mr.  Fisher,  we  are  about  con- 
sidering the  adoption  of  our  designs  for  next  season's 
output.  Can  you  suggest  any  changes?"  "  I  can 
submit  some  drawings  I  have  at  home,"  I  replied, 
"  and  you  may  use  them  for  comparison."  "  I  shall 
be  glad  to  see  them,"  he  answered. 

On  returning  from  dinner,  I  brought  them  and  placed 
them  on  his  desk.  A  week  ago  I  was  called  to  the 
office,  and  was  told  that  a  number  of  my  designs  were 
accepted  without  change,  and  that  several  of  them  were 
accepted  with  modifications.  I  was  also  told  that  the 
new  designs  would  be  made  under  ray  supervision,  and 
at  a  considerable  advance  in  wages. 

The  change  in  my  mode  of  conduct  did  not  escape 
the  notice  of  my  fellow-workmen.  At  first  the  com- 
ments that  reached  me  were  harsh  and  sinister,  but 
latterl}'  some  of  them  have  been  favourable.  I  now 
also  observe  from  among  them  followers  in  the  path  of 
progress. 

I  would  not  have  thus  taken  up  the  valuable  time  of 
this  association  by  the  recital  of  my  personal  affairs, 
were  it  not  that  I  am  constrained  to  do  so  to  this  extent 
in  order  to  give  you  a  clear  conception  of  the  important 
incidents  which  have  caused  me  to  change  ni}'  former 
opinions. 

It  is  far  from  my  mind,  in  relating  this  incident,  to 


400 


Let  There  Be  Light 


present  it  as  a  personal  exploit.  I  have  told  it  simply 
as  an  illustration  to  show  that  the  development  of  the 
artistic  faculties  has  a  material  as  well  as  a  spiritual 
value.  So  far  as  I  am  concerned,  the  spiritual  is  of  in- 
finiteh'  greater  importance  to  me  than  is  the  material 
value. 


CHAPTKR  XLVII 

THE   ABSOLUTE   PRINCIPLE   OP   RIGHTEOUSNESS 

Fisher  (continuing). — Nor  have  my  inquiries  been 
confined  to  the  field  of  this  illustration  alone.  What- 
ever time  I  could  spare  I  have  diligently  employed  in 
investigations  ;  and,  generalising  upon  all  this,  I  have 
come  to  the  following  conclusions  : 

Proposition  One  :  Any  system  of  ethics  is  untenable 
and  meaningless  unless  there  be  in  the  universe  an  ab- 
solute principle  of  righteousness  with  which  man  must 
bring  himself  into  harmony,  in  order  to  insure  his 
highest  state  of  happiness. 

Proposition  Tzvo :  If  there  is  no  absolute  principle  of 
righteousness  in  the  universe,  there  can  then  be  no 
absolute  meaning  or  absolute  merit  in  ethical  conduct. 

The  primary  question  now  follow's:  Is  there  an  abso- 
lute principle  of  righteousness  in  the  universe,  or  is 
there  not  ? 

This  was  the  question  which  presented  itself  to  my 
mind.  So  long  as  it  remained  unanswered,  so  long 
would  m)'  mind  be  troubled  wnth  unrest.  So  long  as 
it  remained  unanswered,  I  could  find  no  rest  in  belief 
or  in   unbelief.     And  so  I  spent  days  and  nights  in 

thinking  over  the  subject,  but  without  being  able  to 

26 

401 


402  Let  There  Be  Light 

come  to  any  conclusion.  One  Saturday  evening  I  was 
prompted  to  take  up  pen  and  paper,  atid  to  write.  I 
wrote  until  midnight  ;  and  when  I  was  through,  I  had 
the  following  : 

IS   THE   UNIVERSE   ABSOLUTELY   ETHICAL  ? 

First  State^nent :  There  are  objects  in  the  world. 

Seco7id  Statement :  The  objects  in  the  world  are  abso- 
lute entities  or  they  are  not. 

Third  Stateme?if :  If  absolute  entities,  they  are  pri- 
mary causes,  and  if  primary  causes  they  must  forever 
retain  the  form  in  which  they  originally  were. 

Fourth  Statemeiit :  The  objects  of  the  world  do  not 
remain  in  any  fixed  form,  but  are  acted  upon  and 
modified. 

Fifth  Statement :  Being  acted  upon  and  modified,  ob- 
jects cannot  be  absolute  entities  ;  not  being  absolute 
entities,  they  therefore  must  be  manifestations. 

Sixth  Statement :  Manifestations  necessarily  involve 
the  existence  of  a  Power  which  manifests. 

Seventh  Statement :  The  Power  which  manifests  must 
necessarily  be  an  Absolute  Entity. 

Fighth  Statement :  This  Absolute  Entity  must  neces- 
sarily be  the  Spiritual  Archetype  of  the  forms  and 
phases  of  manifestation  ;  for  otherwise  the  forms  and 
phases  of  manifestation  would  be  contrary  to  the  will 
and  nature  of  the  Absolute  Entity.  There  would,  then, 
be  no  single  absolute  entity,  but  a  plurality  of  absolute 
entities. 

Ninth  Statement:  A  plurality  of  absolute  entities 
would  permit  of  no  change  whatever  ;  but  as  we  see 
that  there  are  changes,  we  must  necessarily  admit  that 
there  cannot  be  a  plurality  of  absolute  entities. 

Tenth  Statement :  It  must  therefore  and  necessarily 


The  Principle  of  Righteousness    403 

follow  that  there  is  One  and  Only  One  Absolute  Entity, 
and  that  He  is  the  Spiritual  Designer  of  the  forms  and 
phases  of  manifestation. 

The  question  now  presented  itself  :  In  what  form  are 
the  phases  of  manifestation  ?  And  are  these  forms 
types  of  spiritual  significance  ?  And  again  I  recalled 
the  words  of  our  president  :  "  Let  anyone  contemplate 
the  unattractive  straight  line  ;  then,  in  his  mind's  eye, 
let  him  see  this  line  inclined  in  various  graceful  curves. 
He  will  be  surprised  to  discover  that  those  curves  and 
lines  which  are  pronounced  artistic  are  in  effect  rhyth- 
mic and  harmonious. 

' '  Three  bold  curves  to  the  right  must  be  mated 
by  three  bold  curves  to  the  left.  In  other  words,  not 
Beaut}^  alone,  but  also  the  soul  of  Equity  and  Justice  is 
here  personified  and  materialised.  This  is  true  in  em- 
broidery, it  is  true  in  architecture,  it  is  true  in  geometry, 
it  is  true  in  sculpture. 

"  This  principle  is  equally  true  in  music,  in  the 
blending  of  colours.  It  is  true  in  poetry  and  prose.  It 
is  true  in  logic  and  it  is  true  in  philosophy.  It  is  also 
true  in  Justice,  in  Love,  in  Charit}^  in  Inspiration  and 
in  Duty." 

Hence  follows  : 

Eleventh  Statement :  As  the  phases  of  manifestation 
are  in  forms  representative  of  harmony  or  equity,  it 
must  necessarily  follow  that  the  Absolute  Entity  is 
made  manifest  to  us  through  harmony  and  equity,  that 
Ibrms  and  phases  are  but  concrete  terms  or  types  of 
spiritual  justice. 

Tivdfth  Statement :  From  the  foregoing  statement  it 
logically  follows  that  the  Absolute  Entity  must  neces- 
sarily be  just.  Being  the  Only  Absolute  Entity,  and 
being  just.  He  must   necessarily  be  absolutely  just. 


404  Let  There  Be  Light 

The  Absolute   Entity  is,  therefore,   Absolute  Justice, 
and  this  is  but  another  name  for  God. 

CONCLUSION   ON  THIS   HEAD 

There  is  One  Onlj^  God,  made  manifest  to  us  through 
His  works. 

This  God  is  the  absolute  and  primary  source  of 
ethics. 

God  is,  therefore,  the  Spiritual  Archetype  of  ethics. 

And  now  we  may  continue  the  theme,  but  under  a 
dififerent  subdivision.  And  right  here  it  is  deemed 
proper  to  re-state  the  original  propositions.  These 
were  : 

Proposition  One :  Any  system  of  ethics  is  untenable 
and  meaningless  unless  there  be  in  the  universe  an  ab- 
solute principle  of  righteousness  with  which  man  must 
bring  himself  into  harmony  in  order  to  insure  his 
highest  state  of  happiness. 

Proposition  Two  :  If  there  is  no  absolute  principle  of 
righteousness  in  the  universe  there  can  then  be  no  ab- 
solute meaning  or  absolute  merit  in  ethical  conduct. 

But  inasmuch  as  my  reasoning  brought  me  to  the 
conclusion  that  there  was  a  God,  and  that  God  was  the 
Spiritual  Archetype  of  ethics,  I  saw  therefore  that 
ethics  was  tenable,  that  it  had  an  absolute  meaning  and 
that  it  possessed  absolute  merit.  I  saw  also  that  ethical 
conduct  was  absolutely  necessary  to  the  attainment  of 
the  highest  state  of  happiness.  To  admit  this,  we  must 
further  admit  that  unethical  conduct  nuist  lead  toward 
absolute  unhappiness. 

From  all  this,  I  came  to  the  following  final  con- 
clusions : 

FINAL  CONCLUSIONS 

First  Conclusion  :  That  which  is  contrary  to  ethics  is 


The  Principle  of  Righteousness    405 

contrary  to  universal  law,  contrary  to  God  ;  and  is, 
therefore,  inequitable,  unjust,  discordant,  injurious  and 
destructive. 

Second  Conclusion  :  Obedience  in  the  highest  degree 
to  the  dictates  of  ethical  laws  would  bring  us  into  har- 
mony with  God. 

Third  Conclusion  :  Before  we  can  obey  ethically,  we 
must  first  learn  the  lessons  that  lead  to  an  understand- 
ing of  universal  law. 

Fourth  Conclusio7i :  The  Church  ought  to  be  the  prin- 
cipal and  most  potent  factor  for  inculcating  the  lessons 
that  lead  to  an  understanding  of  universal  law. 

Fifth  Conchision  :  In  so  far  as  the  Church  to-day  en- 
deavours to  teach  ethics  without  the  evidence  of  those 
manifestations  which  prove  ethics  to  be  real,  it  thus  far 
lacks  proof. 

Sixth  Conclusion  :  Any  lack  of  proof  on  the  part  of 
the  Church  must  and  does  tend  to  generate  scepticism, 
hypocrisy,  atheism  and  pessimism. 

Seventh  Conclusion  :  These  qualities,  in  turn,  must 
and  do  generate  selfishness,  cruelty  and  misery,  which 
are  the  main  causes  of  the  inequality  in  the  distribution 
of  wealth  and  of  the  inequality  in  the  social  status  of 
the  people. 

Eighth  Conclusion  :  The  Church  is  composed  of  the 
people  that  support  it. 

Ninth  Conclusioji :  Whenever  the  people  demand  that 
the  Church  shall  teach  ethics  in  harmony  with  the 
laws  with  which  God  has  surrounded  us,  there  exists 
no  reason  why  their  demand  should  not  be  complied 
with. 

No  sooner  had  I  arrived  at  these  conclusions  than  I 
began  to  feel  a  sense  of  great  relief.  To  make  sure 
that  what  I  had  set  forth  was  no  illusion,  I  went  over 


4o6  Let  There  Be  Light 

the  Propositions,  the  Statements  and  the  Conclusion? 
again  and  again,  but  all  this  seemed  to  strengthen  the 
belief  that  I  had  at  last  found  the  road  to  faith. 

And  then  a  new  question  presented  itself  If  the 
concrete  objects  of  the  world  teach  us  that  God  is  made 
manifest  through  harmony,  may  we  not,  likewise,  dis- 
cern the  same  law  operative  in  the  mind  and  soul  of 
man  ?  For  some  days  I  tried  hard  to  find  a  reason- 
able, tangible  answer  to  that  question,  but  I  could  find 
none.  While  it  was  possible  for  me  to  find  evidences 
in  abundance  so  far  as  concrete  objects  were  concerned, 
I  could  not  find  the  same  tangible  evidences  to  aid  me 
in  solving  the  problem  of  the  soul.  Can  I  read  what 
is  locked  up  in  the  soul  of  this,  that  or  the  other  man  ? 
How  can  I  ever  know  ?  How  can  such  a  problem  ever 
be  solved  ?  Then,  like  a  flash,  the  thought  came  to 
my  mind  :  If  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  scrutinise  the 
operation  of  the  law  in  the  minds  of  others,  is  it  not 
possible  for  me  to  scrutinise  the  operation  of  the  law  in 
my  own  mind  ? 

"  I  will  try,"  was  my  resolve,  and  I  began  as  follows: 
Originally  a  believer  in  dogmatic  religion,  I  had  seemed 
to  find  in  it  satisfaction  for  my  spiritual  needs,  until  I 
entered  into  a  critical  examination  of  its  proofs  of 
reality. 

When  criticism  proved  this  belief  untenable,  I  dis- 
carded it,  and  in  its  place  came  agnosticism,  and  finally 
atheism.  These,  in  turn,  brought  pessimism  as  a  final 
end.  This  seemed  intolerable.  Hence  arose  a  desire, 
a  blind  desire,  to  shake  myself  free  from  the  spell  of 
gloom  which  obscured  my  soul.  Then  came  wild  and 
vehement  impulses  to  attribute  the  discord  within  me 
to  any  and  all  causes  that  my  imagination  might  con- 
jure up.     But  the  real  cause  of  the  discord  I  now  see 


Principle  of  Righteousness        407 

clearly.  To  remove  my  unliappiness,  I  must  replace 
discord  by  harmony.  Harmony  with  what  ?  With 
what  but  universal  law  ?  And  when  I  perceived  this 
conclusion,  I  perceived  that  the  soul  of  man  in  no  wise 
differs  in  manifestation  of  the  will  of  God  from  all  other 
objects  of  God's  manifestations.  I  likewise  perceived 
that  happiness  is  the  reward  of  the  soul  for  being  in 
harmony  with  the  will  of  God,  and  that  pain  is  the 
penalty  of  the  soul  for  being  in  discord  with  the  will 
of  God. 

This  conclusion  awakened  me  from  a  dream,  a  ter- 
rible, hideous  dream,  that  had  endured  for  years  of 
doubt,  of  unbelief,  of  pessimism,  of  torpid,  deep  and 
settled  gloom.  And  as  the  bright  rays  of  faith  entered 
my  mind  and  illuminated  my  soul,  the  clouds  of 
despondency  vanished,  and  I  realised  that  I  was  free. 

I  then  realised  that  the  God  who  reveals  Himself 
through  nature,  who  speaks  to  us  through  the  law,  the 
order  and  the  harmony  that  everywhere  pervade,  speaks 
to  us  also  through  the  sou],  through  humanity.  Our 
minds  are  restless  and  unsatisfied  until,  beneath  the 
seeming  discord  and  confusion  and  strife  in  the  world, 
there  is  discerned  an  underlying,  unifying  principle 
that  indicates  order  and  harmony.  And  as  we  are  filled 
with  satisfaction  when  we  discover  law  and  order  in  the 
universe,  so  similarly  do  we  experience  peace  of  mind 
when  we  recognise  the  moral  order  which  is  as  real  as 
the  physical  order. 

The  twofold  problem  of  ethics,  then,  is  to  recognise 
this  twofold  realm, —  the  physical  order  and  the  moral 
order, —  and  to  conform  our  lives  to  it. 

I  may  now  say,  in  conclusion,  that  since  my  conver- 
sion to  this  idea  I  have  again  on  various  occasions  read 
the  Bible  with  great  pleasure  and  profit.     I  can  now 


4o8  Let  There  Be  Light 

see  clearly  the  cause  of  my  previous  atheism.  I  had 
been  taught  to  accept  the  entire  Bible  as  the  inspired 
word  of  God.  This  I  could  by  no  means  do  ;  and 
rather  than  become  a  hypocrite  I  chose  to  reject  it 
entirely.  I  now  see  that  the  Bible  is  the  work  of  many 
writers  who  lived  many  hundreds  of  years  apart. 

I  see  now  that,  like  many  other  books  of  antiquity, 
it  contains  legends,  allegories,  parables,  tradition,  his- 
tory and  inspiration,  so  intermingled  as  to  make  it  ex- 
ceedingly difficult  for  even  the  most  intelligent  minds 
to  distinguish  among  them.  Apart  from  all  this,  how- 
ever, I  now  see  clearly  the  intrinsic  worth  of  the  Bible. 
It  is  invaluable  as  an  aid  in  up-building.  I  now  study 
it  in  its  harmony  with  universal  law. 

Realising  all  this  now,  I  find  a  charm  and  an  inspira- 
tion in  the  Bible  which  I  did  not  find  in  it  before.  But 
of  infinitely  higher  value  is  that  grander,  loftier,  truer 
and  nobler  Bible,  ever  present  before  us  in  the  objects 
with  which  the  infinite  God  has  surrounded  us.  Like 
a  kind  and  loving  father.  He  has  placed  us  in  His  great 
Kindergarten  to  learn  the  lessons  His  wisdom  deems 
good  for  us  to  know. 


CHAPTER   XLVIII 


BELIEF  FREED  FROM  IDOLATRY 


Ezra.—  Mr.  Quail,  the  third  speaker,  will  now  take 
the  floor. 

Mr.  Quail. — Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : 
I  believe  that  the  intrinsic  value  of  rational  debate  as 
a  means  of  higher  education  is  much  greater  than  is 
commonly  thought.  The  debate  is  certainly  far  more 
effective  in  education  than  is  mere  book-reading.  It 
seems  to  force  out  distinctly  the  cardinal  features  of  a 
theme.  It  serves  not  only  to  bring  out  in  clear  relief 
the  opinions  held  by  any  individual  debater,  but  also 
to  bring  out  as  clearly  the  opinions  to  which  he  is  op- 
posed. It  recapitulates  the  affirmative  and  negative 
phases  in  so  vivid  and  striking  a  manner  as  to  cause  a 
much  deeper  impression  on  the  mind  than  can  be  pro- 
duced by  any  other  mode  of  education,  and  this  in  the 
shortest  possible  space  of  time. 

A  peculiar  feature  of  the  results  of  debate  appears  in 
the  fact  that  while  during  the  debate,  or  sometimes  at 
its  conclusion,  no  one  seems  to  have  changed  or 
modified  his  own  opinions,  yet  subsequent  investigation 
shows  modifications  of  opinion  to  have  resulted.  As 
an  illustration,  permit  me  to  relate  some  personal 
experiences. 

409 


4IO  Let  There  Be  Light 

For  some  time  after  our  last  adjournment  there  was 
a  confused  recurrence  to  my  mind  of  my  previous  im- 
pressions. Among  them  two  facts  presented  them- 
selves in  clear  outline  :  one,  that  our  meetings  had 
been  held  ;  the  other,  that  certain  propositions  made 
by  the  president  had  been  shown  to  be  evidently 
untenable. 

It  is  true  that  on  several  occasions  some  doubts  arose 
as  to  the  untenability  of  the  president's  propositions, 
but  these  doubts  were  set  aside  with  ease.  Can  it  be 
possible,  I  thought,  that  the  whole  world  is  wrong,  and 
that  the  president  of  our  association  is  right  ?  Absurd  ; 
and  so  I  easily  managed  to  dismiss  the  matter  with  the 
thought  that,  while  the  president  no  doubt  meant  well, 
his  proposal,  being  untenable,  required  no  further  seri- 
ous consideration.  I  could  not  then  see  or  understand 
th.it  the  actual  impressions  remaining  on  my  mind  as 
a  result  of  our  debate  were  much  deeper  than  was  per- 
ceived by  me  on  the  surface.  The  following  incident, 
however,  served  to  illustrate  that  such  was  the  fact. 

About  a  month  after  adjournment  of  our  last  debate 
an  elderly  man,  familiarly  known  as  Uncle  George,  and 
his  wife,  Aunt  Dinah,  came  to  visit  my  family.  They 
are  distant  relatives,  and  live  in  the  interior  of  Georgia. 
Time  does  not  permit  me  to  give  a  detailed  description 
of  them.  Sufficient  to  say  that  they  are  fair  average 
samples  of  the  Southern  negro,  of  the  farm-hand  type, 
illiterate  and  good-natured. 

On  the  evening  of  the  next  day,  on  my  return  from 
work,  I  found  Uncle  George  and  Aunt  Dinah  engaged 
in  a  religious  discussion,  which  the}^  ceased  shortly  after 
my  arrival.  After  supper  they  again  took  up  the 
theme.  I  then  asked  permission  to  join  in,  which  was 
cheerfully  granted. 


Belief  Freed  from  Idolatry        4^1 

I  was  informed  that  the  subject  of  discussion  was  the 
conversion  of  a  grandchild  of  theirs  from  the  Baptist 
religion  to  Catholicism.  Uncle  George  was  of  the 
opinion  that  this  step  doomed  their  grandchild  to  eternal 
punishment  in  the  hereafter. 

"  I  can't  see,"  said  Aunt  Dinah,  "  how  they  can 
have  punishment  by  fire  forev'er.  It  seems  to  me,"  she 
continued,  "  that  they  would  burn  up  in  a  few  minutes." 

"  So  they  do,"  replied  Uncle  George.  "  They  burn 
up  sure  in  a  few  minutes  ;  but  the  devil  makes  them 
alive  again  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  and  they  burn 
up  again,  and  they  keep  this  up  forever." 

"  Do  you  believe.  Uncle  George,"  I  said,  "  that  the 
good  lyord  would  permit  any  such  thing  ?  " 

"  I  believe,"  answered  Uncle  George,  "  that  if  the 
people  in  hell  could  get  out,  and  could  get  to  Heaven, 
and  go  before  the  throne  of  God,  and  fall  down  on  their 
knees  praying,  then  God  would  let  them  stay  in 
Heaven  ;  but,  when  they  are  once  in  hell  the  devil  has 
them  forever.  For  God  is  ruler  of  Heaven  and  the 
devil  is  ruler  of  hell." 

"  Well,  Uncle  George,"  I  continued,  "  you  said  that 
your  grandchild,  having  left  the  Baptist  Church  and 
joined  the  Catholic  Church,  would  be  doomed  to  eternal 
punishment  hereafter.     Do  you  really  believe  that  ?  " 

"I  do." 

"  Do  )'0U  believe  that  the  Catholics  are  doomed  to 
eternal  punishment  because  thes^  are  not  Baptists  ?  ' ' 

"  I  do,"  he  replied.  "  What  would  be  the  use  of 
sticking  to  the  Baptist  religion  if  Catholics  could  go  to 
Heaven  too  ?  ' ' 

"  Do  you  know  that  Catholics  deny  what  you  say, 
and  claim,  on  the  contrary,  that  Catholics  go  to  Heaven 
and  that  Baptists  go  to  an  eternal  hell  ?  ' ' 


412  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  Yes,  I  heard  so,"  he  replied;  "  but  it  is  not  true." 

The  conversatiou  ceased,  and  I  soon  went  to  my 
room,  perplexed  and  worried,  though  at  what  I  did 
not  clearly  know.  Instinctively  I  took  up  a  copy  of 
the  report  of  our  meetings.  I  began  to  turn  over  the 
pages,  when  my  eyes  alighted  on  some  words  which 
riveted  my  attention.  They  were  the  remarks  of  Mr. 
Bradley,  and  I  read  : 

' '  Our  evils  to-day  come  because  we  believe  that  God 
has  attributes  that  He  has  not.  The  Roman  Catho- 
lic, for  instance,  asserts  that  God  is  just  ;  but  in  the 
same  moment  he  will  not  hesitate  to  assert  that  Pres- 
byterians and  Baptists  and  Jews  and  Unitarians  are 
doomed  to  eternal  damnation  because  the}'  are  not 
Roman  Catholics.  Now  Presbyterians  assert  the  verj^ 
same  thing  concerning  all  who  are  not  Presbyterians. 
And  all  the  other  sects  and  religious  systems  are  like- 
wise unjust  and  uncharitable. 

"  Clearly,  if  all  these  assertions  were  true,  the  world 
would  be  consigned  to  an  eternity  of  superhuman  ter- 
ror. These  assumptions  are  so  palpably  unjust  and 
barbarous  as  to  destroy  the  idea  of  justice  by  distort- 
ing it.  What  wonder,  then,  that,  as  a  result  of  this 
distortion  of  truth,  we  have  scepticism,  atheism  and 
pessimism  ?  What  wonder  that  we  have  hypocrisy, 
injustice,  cruelty,  barbarism  and  selfishness  ?  " 

"  True,  only  too  true,"  I  thought,  as  I  replaced  the 
paper. 

The  next  day  I  took  a  holiday,  and  stayed  at  home 
all  the  forenoon.  In  the  afternoon,  feeling  restless,  I 
left  the  house  for  a  walk.  I  continued  walking  until  I 
had  reached  Central  Park,  which  I  entered.  The  air 
was  mild,  and  the  afternoon  sun  cast  a  pleasant  glow 
over  all  the  landscape.     I  walked  on  through  the  Park 


Belief  Freed  from  Idolatry        413 

for  some  time,  and  finalh^,  feeling  tired,  seated  myself 
on  a  bench  placed  near  a  foot-path  a  little  way  back 
from  the  broad  carriage  road.  There  I  sat,  watching 
absent-mindedly  the  line  of  brilliant  equipages  that 
passed  before  me. 

Presently  I  observed  a  person  who  had  turned  off 
from  the  path  and  was  approaching  the  bench  upon 
which  I  was  seated.  He  was  an  elderly  man,  white- 
haired,  well  dressed,  and  of  benevolent  and  amiable 
appearance.  He  walked  slowly,  leaning  upon  a  cane  ; 
and,  when  he  had  reached  the  bench,  he  took  a  seat 
upon  the  farther  end,  bowing  to  me  as  he  did  so. 
Thereupon  he  removed  his  hat,  and,  drawing  his  hand- 
kerchief from  his  pocket,  passed  it  across  his  forehead. 
As  he  did  so,  I  noticed  that  some  object  fell  to  the 
ground.  I  stooped  and  picked  it  up.  It  was  a  pair  of 
spectacles. 

"  Thank  you,"  he  said  with  a  smile,  as  I  returned 
them  to  him.  "  I  should  not  have  known  what  to  do 
without  them," 

"Then  you  depend  upon  them  for  reading?"  I 
observed. 

' '  Yes,  I  am  obliged  to  use  glasses,  not  only  for  read- 
ing, but  for  all  my  work  at  the  college." 

"  So  you  teach  in  a  college  ?  "  I  ventured. 

"  I  am  professor  there,"  he  replied. 

It  seemed  hardl}^  polite  to  ask  any  further  questions, 
and  for  some  moments  I  was  silent.  But  his  reply  had 
suggested  an  idea  to  me.  My  mind  had  been  disturbed 
and  unsettled.  I  had  been  considering  questions  on 
which  I  was  unable,  without  aid,  to  come  to  anj-  con- 
clusions. I  should  welcome  help.  Here  was  someone 
who  could  perhaps  give  me  exactly  the  assistance  I 
needed.      His    appearance    indicated    good-will    and 


414  Let  There  Be  Light 

friendliness.  Why  not  improv^e  the  opportunity  that 
had  presented  itself?     I  would  do  so. 

"  Pardon  me,  sir,"  I  therefore  began,  "  but  you  tell 
me  you  are  a  professor  in  a  college.  There  are  points 
on  which  I  have  been  lately  seeking  information.  If 
3'ou  have  no  objection,  I  should  like  to  ask  you  a  few 
questions." 

"  Proceed,"  he  replied.  "  Ask  your  questions,  and 
I  will  try  to  answer  them." 

I  thanked  him,  but,  try  as  I  would,  I  could  not  frame 
the  questions;  so,  with  some  embarrassment,  I  told  him 
I  would  first  state  the  case  in  the  hope  that  the  questions 
would  present  themselves. 

He  observed  my  embarrassment.  "  Begin  in  your 
own  way,"  he  said.     "  I  have  plenty  of  time." 

Thus  reassured,  I  gave  him  a  brief  sketch  of  our  as- 
sociation, outlined  the  debate  now  before  us,  and  nar- 
rated my  afternoon's  experience  with  Uncle  George 
and  Aunt  Dinah. 

He  listened  with  attention.  "  I  observe,"  said  he, 
when  I  had  concluded,  "  that  you  are  puzzled  and  per- 
plexed by  the  conflict  of  opinions.  You  are  especially 
surprised  at  the  low  state  of  development  of  the  persons 
3'OU  describe  ;  but  all  this  is  a  natural  stage  in  the  his- 
tory of  development, — is  as  natural  in  psychology  as  it 
is  in  geology.  In  geolog}',  for  instance,  we  sometimes 
find  exposed  strata  from  the  earlier  geologic  periods 
alongside  the  more  recent  formations.  In  sociology  we 
find  examples  of  earlier  stages  of  development  alongside 
those  of  more  recent  times.  On  almost  every  thorough- 
fare we  can  see  examples  of  people  who  are  of  primitive 
minds,  who  represent,  in  their  state  of  development, 
some  type  that  predominated  in  the  past.  The  peo- 
ple you  mention,  while  actually  living  at  almost  the 


Belief  Freed  from  Idolatry        415 

beginning  of  the  twentieth  centur}-,  are  in  reality  types 
that  predominated  centuries  ago." 

"  Will  you  please  explain  more  in  detail  ?  "  I  said. 
"  I  am  much  interested." 

"  Well:  observe  the  people  passing  here,"  continued 
the  professor.  ' '  Some  few  are  representative  in  their  de- 
velopment, of  the  nineteenth  century,  some  very  few  of 
the  twentieth  or  twenty-first,  but  the  majority  are  repre- 
sentative of  the  eighteenth,  fifteenth,  tenth  or  fifth  cen- 
tury, or  even  earlier  times.  The  same  is  the  case  with 
nations.  The  United  States  and  England,  for  instance, 
are  representative  of  the  twentieth  century;  Germany 
and  France  of  the  nineteenth.  Behind  these  come  the 
other  countries,  such  as  Denmark,  Holland,  Belgium, 
Austria  and  Scandinavia.  Then  comes  Italy,  then 
Russia,  then  Spain,  then  Turkey,  then  China,  and  so 
on  down  the  grade  until  we  come  to  the  Digger  Indians 
of  California  or  the  Fuegians  and  Patagonians,  who 
bring  us  back  to  the  stone  age." 

"  But,"  I  said,  "  so  far  as  concerns  the  people  of 
whom  I  first  spoke,  the  negroes  of  this  country,  is 
there  any  reason  why  they  should  hold  the  primitive 
views  they  do  ?  Is  not  this  low  state  largely  due  to 
lack  of  progressive  education  ?  " 

"  To  some  extent,  3^es,"  he  replied  ;  "  but  not  alto- 
gether. The  parts  which  compose  the  body  modify 
slowly,  but  slower  yet  are  modifications  of  the  mind. 
Before  there  can  be  any  development,  there  must  be  a 
displacement  of  the  elementary  by  more  complex  ideas. 
Complex  ideas  are  apprehended  with  great  difficulty, 
and  at  the  expense  of  hard  mental  effort  and  much 
time." 

"  Do  not  primitive  ideas  involve  low  conceptions 
and  low  tendencies,"    I   asked,    "  and   do  not  these 


4i6  Let  There  Be  Light 

conceptions  and  tendencies  generate  the  impulse  to 
cruelty  and  inhumanity  ?  " 

"  They  do  certainly,"  he  replied;  "  but  in  time,  and 
under  favourable  conditions,  the  primitive  ideas  are 
modified." 

' '  Is  time  the  factor  ? ' ' 

"  No,  not  time  alone  ;  time  and  favourable  con- 
ditions." 

"  What  if  favourable  conditions  be  wanting  ?  " 

' '  Then  there  can  be  no  progress. ' ' 

"  Bat,"  I  inquired,  "  does  the  negro  alone  hold  the 
opinions  of  which  I  speak,  or  do  the  majorit)^  of  the 
white  people  also  hold  them  ?  " 

"  The  majority  of  white  people  also  hold  them;  but 
in  some  cases  they  hold  them  theoretically,  or,  in  other 
words,  by  tacit  acquiescence." 

"  Will  you  please  explain  that  point  more  fully  ?  " 

"  Well,"  replied  the  professor,  "  they  hold  these 
ideas  in  theory,  as  a  matter  of  creed,  by  grace  of  cus- 
tom, and  to  some  extent  by  force  of  heredity  ;  but  the 
ideas  are  not  altogether  actively  conscious  beliefs.  I 
mean  that  the  people  seem  to  believe  ;  but  their  belief 
is  not  intrinsically  real, —  it  only  seems  real. 

"  To  explain  still  further,  so  that  there  may  be  no 
possibility  of  misunderstanding,  I  will  illustrate  :  A 
very  young  child,  no  doubt,  actually  believes  in  the 
reality  of  Santa  Claus.  As  the  child  grows  older, 
modifications  of  this  belief  take  place  as  the  result  of 
doubt,  until,  in  the  end,  belief  in  the  reality  of  Santa 
Claus  has  entirely  faded  away.  In  the  case  of  your 
Uncle  George  and  Aunt  Dinah,  were  they  really  to 
witness  any  physical  pain  of  their  grandchild  ;  were 
anyone,  for  instance,  in  their  presence  to  do  their  grand- 
child great  bodily  harm,  they  would  soon  manifest  a 


i 


Belief  Freed  from  Idolatry        417 

real  and  emotional  frenzy  of  sympathy  which  would 
materialise  in  frantic  attempts  at.prev^ention.  But  the 
same  case,  when  placed  before  them  as  a  question  of 
religious  faith,  is,  as  you  see,  otherwise  disposed  of, 
and  in  too  calm  and  judicial  a  manner  to  represent 
really  the  actual  nature  of  either." 

"  Is  this  inconsistency  due  to  scepticism  ?  " 

"  To  some  extent,  3'es,  but  not  necessarily  so  alto- 
gether ;  for,  as  I  said  before,  people  hold  these  matters 
of  faith  or  forms  of  creed  by  grace  of  custom,  and 
through  the  law  of  heredity,  as  a  result  of  individual 
training  and  as  the  effect  of  environment." 

"  Does  not  this  condition  tend  to  generate  barbarism, 
selfishness,  cruelty  and  misery  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  It  does,"  he  replied;  "  but  these  evils  constitute  a 
concomitant  phase  of  the  primitive  state.  Under  favour- 
able conditions  this  phase  will  disappear,  and  a  higher 
development  will  take  its  place." 

' '  If  now  the  majority  of  whites  and  blacks  hold  these 
primitive  ideas,"  I  said,  "  must  it  not  follow  that  this 
majority  are  necessarily  selfish  and  cruel,  and  must  it 
not  likewise  follow  that,  because  of  all  this,  the  ma- 
jority live  in  poverty  and  miser}'  ?  " 

"  It  must  so  follow,"  he  answered. 

"  Would  not  higher  education  of  this  majority  tend 
toward  the  amelioration  of  their  condition  ?  " 

"  It  would,"  he  replied. 

"  And  the  primitive  state  of  this  majority  —  is  not 
the  Church  to  be  held  responsible  for  it  ?  " 

"  Yes,  to  some  extent.  But  the  Church  is,  as  you 
know,  composed  of  two  divisions:  the  priests  or  minis- 
ters on  the  one  hand,  and  the  people  on  the  other. 
Were  the  priests  and  ministers  to  be  in  advance  of  their 
congregations  to  any  great  degree,  there  would  result 


41 8  Let  There  Be  Light 

a  state  of  incongruity  between  them  which  would  pro- 
duce discord  and  dissolution.  Were  any  single  min- 
ister to  attempt  the  substitution  of  progressive  ideas  for 
old  ideas  in  advance  of  the  general  education  of  his 
people,  he  would  be  likely  to  be  charged  with  heresy, 
and  made  to  recant  or  lose  his  livelihood." 

"  Then  what  should  be  done,"  I  asked,  "  to  pro- 
mote general  happiness,  and  to  abolish  the  evils  which 
an  undeveloped  state  forces  upon  us  ?  " 

"  Time  alone  can  solve  that  problem,"  he  replied. 

"  But,"  I  remarked,  "  I  thought  you  said,  a  short 
time  ago,  that  time  alone  was  not  sufficient  ;  that,  in 
addition  to  time,  favourable  conditions  also  were  neces- 
sary.    Am  I  correct  ?  ' ' 

"Yes." 

"  Then  which  is  the  more  necessarj^  time  or  favour- 
able conditions  ?  ' ' 

' '  Favourable  conditions. ' ' 

"  As  these  facts  are  known,"  I  observed,  "  why  do 
not  the  learned  men,  the  professors,  take  the  question 
up?" 

"  They  do,"  he  answered,  "  as  far  as  they  are  per- 
mitted to." 

"  Permitted  !  "  I  remarked  in  astonishment.  "  Are 
thej^  not,  above  all  others,  free  to  teach,  to  expound 
and  to  promulgate  ?  ' ' 

"  No,  they  are  not  nearly  so  free  to  do  so  as  you  may 
suppose.  The  profession  of  educator  takes,  as  you 
know,  many  years  of  preparation,  and,  once  acquired, 
it  becomes  to  many  a  man  his  only  source  of  livelihood. 
Any  marked  deviation  from  the  usual  course  would 
soon  bring  down  upon  the  deviator  the  displeasure  of 
the  regents  or  trustees,  and  cause  him,  in  all  likelihood, 
to  lose  his  place." 


Belief  Freed  from  Idolatry        419 

"  It  would  appear,  then,  that  there  are  two  antago- 
nistic forces  at  work  ?  ' ' 

"  Yes,  there  is  on  the  one  hand  the  dynamic  or  im- 
pelling force  of  conserved  learning,  and  on  the  other  is 
the  static  or  stationary  force  of  religion  ;  these  act  and 
react  upon  each  other. ' ' 

"  Does  this  situation  produce  the  best  results  for  the 
happiness  of  mankind  ?  " 

"  In  one  respect  it  does  ;  for  the  static  force  compels 
the  dynamic  force  to  prove  all  its  data  with  exactness  ; 
and  the  dynamic  force  compels  the  static  force  to  shift 
its  ground  from  time  to  time,  as  it  does  under  the  name 
of  instituting  reforms.  You  may  observe  even  now," 
the  professor  continued,  "  that  the  static  force  is  quietly 
shelving  its  once  predominant  theory  of  eternal  punish- 
ment in  a  supernatural  world,  together  with  many  other 
similarly  untenable  and  primitive  ideas." 

"  Is  not  this  shifting  from  the  untenable  to  the  more 
tenable  almost  altogether  confined  to  the  class  which 
possesses  learning  and  wealth  ?  And  has  not  this  ever 
been  the  case,  under  every  religious  system  ?  " 

"  Yes,  the  shifting,  reforming  process  is  ever  slow 
among  the  ranks  of  the  illiterate  and  poor,  so  slow  as 
to  be  almost  imperceptible." 

"  And,  inasmuch  as  the  poor  compose  the  majority  of 
mankind,"  I  observed,  "  must  it  not  follow  that  the 
majority  are  in  fact  held  in  servitude  by  the  static  force, 
by  the  predominant  religious  systems  ?  " 

"  It  must  so  follow,"  he  replied. 

"  If  it  were  possible  to  release  the  poor  from  this  servi- 
tude, and  in  its  place  to  give  them  the  freedom  which 
conserved  and  progressive  learning  would  bring,  would 
not  such  a  change  be  of  high  advantage  ?  ' ' 

"  Of  the  very  highest,"  said  the  professor  ;  "  for,  as 


420  Let  There  Be  Litiht 


i5 


it  is  to-day,  the  active  labourers  for  peace  and  progress 
are  comparatively  the  very  few.  Whenever  these  few 
shall  have  been  multiplied  to  a  much  greater  number  it 
must  necessarily  follow  that  the  unfavourable  conditions 
of  life  will  then  be  largely  decreased,  and  the  favourable 
conditions  largely  increased." 

' '  How  may  this  result  be  brought  about  ?  ' ' 

"  That  is  a  difl&cult  question,"  he  replied,  "  a  most 
difficult  one.  In  fact,  it  has  ever  been,  and  is  to-day, 
the  greatest  of  all  human  problems." 

"  What  is  it,  then,"  I  asked,  "  which  makes  religion  a 
static  force  ?     Is  it  belief  in  God  and  in  righteousness  ?  " 

"  No,  not  that,  but  belief  in  untenable  dogmas." 

"  Beliefs  in  these  untenable  dogmas  seem,  then,  to 
be  phases  of  idolatry,  do  they  not  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  They  do  not  merely  seem  to  be,"  he  answered  ; 
"  they  are,  in  fact,  positively  idolatrous,  absolutely 
such." 

"  The  problem,  then,"  I  remarked,  "is  to  find  a 
way  for  the  elimination  of  the  idolatrous  phases  from 
religious  belief,  is  it  not  ? ' ' 

"  Yes,  that  is  the  problem." 

"  Have  you  a  belief  in  God  and  in  righteousness  ?  " 
I  asked. 

"  I  surely  have,"  he  replied. 

"  And  is  that  belief  grounded  on  current  theologic 
dogmas  ?  " 

"  No,  not  in  the  least." 

"  On  what  then?" 

"  My  belief  is  grounded,"  said  the  professor,  "  on 
those  evidences  of  God's  laws  which  ever}' where  and  at 
all  times  surround  us,  evidences  which  we  cannot  for 
one  moment  lose  sight  of,  even  if  we  try." 

"  So  the  principal  question  is  how  to  see,  to  hear  and 


i 


Belief  Freed  from  Idolatry        421 

to  feel  in  harmony  with  universal  law,  is  it  not  ?  "  I 
observed. 

"  Yes,"  he  replied,  "  and,  above  all,  how  to  think  in 
harmony  with  universal  law." 

"  Why  would  it  not  be  a  good  idea  for  the  people  to 
abandon  their  idolatrous  beliefs,  and,  instead,  to  adopt 
the  same  kind  of  belief  that  you  and  the  other  learned 
men  hold  ?  " 

"  It  would  certainly  be  a  good  idea  ;  but,  as  I  said 
before,  the  difficulties  in  the  way  render  its  accomplish- 
ment the  greatest  of  all  human  problems." 

"  Why?" 

"  Because,  as  I  have  indicated,"  replied  the  professor, 
"  any  marked  deviation  from  the  usual  course,  by  priest 
or  minister  on  the  one  hand,  or  by  professor  of  college 
or  university  on  the  other,  would  soon  bring  down  upon 
the  deviators  the  displeasure  of  the  deacons,  regents,  or 
trustees,  whose  duty  it  seems  to  be  to  detect  essential 
variations.  It  is  the  fear  of  losing  their  livelihood 
which  compels  college  and  university  professors  to  heed 
the  adage,  '  Among  wolves,  one  must  howl  a  little.'  " 

"  What  if  the  people,  or  some  of  the  people,"  I  sug- 
gested, "  were  to  build  up  by  themselves  this  new  be- 
lief, this  belief  which  you  subscribe  to,  a  belief  freed 
from  idolatry  ?  " 

"  How  could  it  be  done  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"  I  do  not  know,"  I  answered. 

"  Well,  then,"  he  remarked,  "  we  have  neither  of  us 
been  able  to  solve  the  greatest  of  all  human  problems." 

At  this  point  our  conversation  ceased.  The  after- 
noon was  drawing  to  a  close,  and  the  sun's  rays  no 
longer  cast  upon  the  spot  where  we  were  sitting  the 
warmth  which  the  old  professor  had  evidently  sought. 
So,  rising,  he  responded  politely  to  my  thanks,  bade 


422 


Let  There  Be  Light 


me  good-afternoon  and  walked  awa5\  He  did  not 
volunteer  his  name,  nor  did  I  ask  it  ;  but  it  was  with 
deep  gratitude  that  I  watched  the  slowly-moving,  grey- 
haired  figure  until  it  disappeared  from  view. 

It  is  needless  for  me  to  detain  you  longer.  You  all, 
no  doubt,  now  realise  how  I  stand  on  this  question. 
But,  so  as  to  leave  no  room  for  any  conjecture  what- 
ever, I  sa}^  unhesitatingly  that  I  am  in  full  accord  with 
the  proposition  of  our  worthy  president.  Whether  it 
can  ever  be  materialised  I  do  not  at  this  time  know.  I 
fervently  hope  for  its  success,  for  on  it  depends,  as  I 
believe,  much  for  which  we  should  reverently  pray  and 
sturdily  work. 


CHAPTER  XLIX 


THE   MOTHER    CHURCH 


Ezra. — The  fourth  speaker  will  be  Mr.  Valanti. 

Mr.  Valanti. — Mr.  President,  L,adies  and  Gentlemen: 
I  am  not  at  all  surprised  at  the  stand  taken  by  the 
speakers  who  have  preceded  me.  Had  I  been  a  mem- 
ber of  any  of  the  various  sects  they  represent,  I  should, 
perhaps,  have  come  to  the  same  conclusions.  I  do  not 
wonder  that  they  turn  in  disgust  from  their  several 
sects,  and  instinctively  come  over  to  that  which  will 
supply  the  desires  which  a  loving  God  has  graciously 
implanted  in  human  hearts  and  in  immortal  souls. 
Art,  first-born  child  of  the  Infinite,  Beauty  Supreme, 
Joy,  Heaven,  Index,  Road,  Path  !  Yes,  Art  points 
unerringly  to  Him,  the  Effulgent,  the  Alpha  and  the 
Omega  of  Beauty.  He  is  our  God,  even  the  God  of 
the  Holy  Catholic  Church. 

No  wonder,  then,  that  the  children  of  the  first  speaker 
saw  the  beauty  of  God  stamped  upon  the  trembling  leaf, 
and  in  the  harmonious,  sweet-scented,  symmetrical 
flower.  What  higher  exaltation  would  they  not  have 
experienced  had  they,  in  addition,  heard  the  divine 
strains  of  celestial  music  and  feasted  their  young  eyes 
on  heavenly  paintings  !     Yet  all  these  things  we  of  the 

423 


424  Let  There  Be  Light 

Mother  Church,  we  of  the  Holy  Catholic  Church  —  all 
these  things  have  we,  and  much  more  besides. 

What  fatal  error,  then,  it  was,  when  the  distempered 
monk  of  Wittenberg  caused  the  unholy  schism  which 
rent  in  twain  the  sacred  curtain  of  God's  sanctified 
temple  !  How  many  millions  has  this  deed  not  robbed 
of  earthly  and  heavenly  rights  and  of  pious  pleasures  ! 
Come,  Ar5^an  brethren,  come  out  from  5'our  sombre 
Semitic  synagogues  and  enter  with  me  into  the  sweet- 
scented,  flower-bedecked  and  art-embellished  temple  of 
the  living,  loving  Father.  Then  shall  you  pass  from 
gloom  into  light,  from  dismal  emptiness  into  beauteous 
environment.  Come  hither,  and,  in  the  Catholic 
Church,  exchange  the  insipid  soul-shrinking  parody 
on  music  wailed  forth  in  Protestant  churches  for  the 
celestial  strains  of  the  world's  masters  in  song.  There, 
in  the  Catholic  cathedral,  you  are  in  a  house  grandly 
adequate  in  design  to  meet  the  solemn  demands  of  the 
God  of  Majesty. 

And  now  it  is  fit  that  I  answer  some  of  the  charges 
so  gratuitously  and  unjustly  hurled  against  the  Catholic 
Church.  It  was  the  divine  Master  Himself  who  placed 
the  sacred  seal  of  election  on  Peter, — Peter  the  "  Rock." 
To  this  Peter  were  given  the  Keys  of  Heaven,  and  to 
no  one  else.  Many  shall  dash  themselves  against  the 
Church,  but  the  Rock  shall  stand  firm  and  unshaken 
and  forever. 

Many  unbelievers  assert  that  Catholicism  teaches  the 
worship  of  graven  images,  the  work  of  men's  hands. 
Do  not  these  vilifiers  know  that  we  worship  God, 
kneeling  before  the  image  of  a  revered  saint  ?  Are  we 
barbarians,  that  we  should  worship  a  saint's  picture 
rather  than  God  ?  Is  not  this  mode  of  worship  in 
accord  with  the  true  instincts  of  humanity  ?     Is  not 


The  Mother  Church  425 

this  a  natural  phase  of  divine  worship  implanted  in  the 
human  heart  ?  Why,  even  now,  in  this  miniature  re- 
bellion against  the  Semitic  asceticism,  you  who  seek 
to  escape  the  sombre  meeting-house  for  the  grander 
temple  which  your  imaginations  conjure  up — did  I  not 
hear  you  say  that  you  would  revere  the  leaf,  the  tree 
and  the  flower  because  they  are  manifestations  of  God's 
work  ?  And  pray  tell  me,  is  not  a  saint  likewise  a 
manifestation  of  God's  work,  and  a  nobler  one  ? 

Much  criticism  has  been  indulged  in  here  by  dissent- 
ing sectaries,  members  of  this  club,  against  the  Catholic 
Church  because  in  times  past  the  Church  saw  fit  to  per- 
mit only  the  learned  in  theological  matters  to  read  and 
interpret  the  Bible.  Was  not  that  a  wise  and  reverent 
provision  ?  Is  it  possible  for  every  boor  able  to  spell 
out  words  to  decide,  by  his  own  dense  ignorance,  what 
is  allegory,  what  is  parable,  what  is  history,  what  is 
tradition  and  what  is  inspiration,  and  to  interpret  all 
properly  ?  What  confusion  has  not  this  unregulated 
interpretation  brought  about  !     And  the  end  is  not  yet. 

The  word  "  idolatry,"  too,  has  been  freely  bandied 
about  in  our  deliberations  ;  and,  did  one  not  know  the 
truth,  5'Our  remarks  would  lead  him  to  class  the  Catho- 
lic Church  with  the  fetich  worship  of  Papua.  Was  npt 
that  word  "  idolatry  ' '  strained  and  twisted  and  tortured 
in  order  to  squeeze  out  material  for  uncharitable 
comment  ? 

To  whom  are  words  of  love  addressed  ?  To  whom 
are  said  the  words,  "  Thou  art  the  idol  of  my  heart  "  ? 
To  the  affianced,  to  the  beloved  and  to  the  wife  ;  and 
do  the  words  give  offence  ?  Is  such  expression  not  a 
human  expression,  full  of  loving  tenderness  ?  Does 
not  the  infant  behold  in  its  mother  and  in  its  father 
objects  of  its  adoration  ?     Shall  we  condemn  the  infant 


426  Let  There  Be  Light 

for  idolatry  ?  Yet  there  is  an  evil  which,  although  in- 
fiuitel}'  worse  than  idolatry,  has  here  been  scarcely  cen- 
sured at  all  ;  and  that  evil  is  unbelief.  The  idolater 
believes,  loves,  worships.  Though  he  may  worship  un- 
wisely to-day  and  wisely  to-morrow,  there  is  always  for 
him  a  haven,  a  refuge,  an  asylum  of  peace.  But  what 
perpetual  torments  should  there  not  be  for  him  who, 
out  of  sheer  wantonness,  denies  the  God  whose  mercy 
suffers  him  to  cumber  the  earth  ? 

And  now  we  come  to  the  much-abused  miracles  of 
the  Bible.  How  grandiloquent  are  the  words  of  those 
who,  with  contempt  and  ridicule,  assail  the  miracles  ! 
They  speak  with  the  confident  omniscience  of  gods  on 
a  theme  concerning  which  they  are  and  must  ever  re- 
main in  utter  ignorance.  Is  God,  then,  limited,  or  is 
He  almighty  ?  If  limited,  He  must  be  finite,  but  if 
almighty,  can  He  not  do  all  things, —  whatsoever  He 
will  ?  These  same  objectors  employ  a  name  to  conjure 
with  ;  they  call  on  "  Science," — and  when  they  merely 
mention  the  word  they  expect  all  that  hear  them  to  bow 
to  their  own  all-sufficient  wisdom. 

And  what  is  Science  ?  Does  it  tell  us  what  that  is 
which  we  call  space  ?  Does  it  tell  us  aught  of  absolute 
motion  ?  Do  we  know  aught  of  absolute  time  ?  Can 
we  give  an  explanation  of  the  existence  of  matter  ? 
Do  we  know  aught  of  the  birthplace  of  universal  force  ? 
Science  lays  down  a  level,  and  says  that  the  law  of 
gravitation  indicates  the  line  of  the  horizontal  when- 
ever the  bubble  in  the  encased  liquid  is  in  the  centre  ; 
but  can  it  tell  aught  of  the  absolute  level  ? 

No  !  On  the  question  of  absolute  truth  it  is  not  a 
whit  wiser  than  is  the  Digger  Indian  or  the  infant  on 
the  mother's  breast.  Yet  it  talks  and  boasts  and 
theorises  as  if  it  were  lifelong  partner  of  omnipotence. 


The  Mother  Church  427 

Hypothesis  crosses  hypothesis  in  a  labyrinth  of  con- 
fusion, and  all  its  vauntings  about  the  absolute  are  as 
mere  child's  babble. 

And  now  it  is  proper  to  say  a  few  words  concerning 
the  mysterious  stranger,  the  scholarly  professor,  so 
picturesquely  brought  to  our  attention  by  the  last 
speaker.  This  stranger  is  a  full-fledged  apostle  of  that 
scientific  religion  to  which  you,  my  friend,  aspire. 
When  asked  if,  in  his  opinion,  the  world  could  not  be 
made  better  and  happier  through  the  general  acceptance 
of  the  system  of  belief  which  he  himself  entertained,  in 
place  of  that  now  in  vogue,  he  affirmed  stoutly  that  it 
could.  When  further  asked  why  the  work  was  not 
taken  up  by  the  learned  professors,  he  in  part  replied  : 
"  It  is  the  fear  of  losing  their  livelihood  which  compels 
college  and  university  professors  to  heed  the  adage, 
'  Among  wolves,  one  must  howl  a  little.'  "  Yet  here 
are  slings  and  flings  at  Jesuits.  Can  anything  more 
utterly  selfish  than  this  adage  be  attributed  even  to  a 
Machiavelli  ? 

But  while  professors  are  afraid  to  tell  the  truth  for 
fear  of  losing  their  positions,  the  many  thousands  of 
Catholic  priests  are  not  afraid  to  risk  their  lives,  and 
they  go  fearlessly  into  the  den  of  the  leper  or  the  hovel 
of  the  plague-stricken. 

Great  is  thy  faith  and  great  is  thy  reverence,  O  Science ! 
Great  is  th}-  faith  in  the  almighty  dollar  and  great  thy 
reverence  for  it.  Th)'  feet  hasten  to  the  patent  office, 
and  w^hen  thou  hast  obtained  thy  patent  then  dost  thou 
joyfully  hie  thee  to  establish  a  sj^ndicate  ;  all  for  the 
glory  of  what  ?  For  the  benefit  of  whom  ?  Answer, 
my  friends.  I  pause  for  an  answer.  W^hat  ?  No  an- 
swer ?     For  shame,  to  desert  new  friends  so  soon  ! 

My  friends,  I  perceive  j'our  dilemma,  and  I  honour 


428  Let  There  Be  Light 

your  perplexity.  Come  then,  all  of  you,  into  the  loving 
bosom  of  Holy  Mother  Church,  who  stands  with  open 
arms  ready  to  embrace  and  to  receive  j'ou. 

Within  her  sacred  precinct  you  will  find  that  ampler 
opportunity  for  which  you  seemingly  so  crave.  Within 
her  sacred  precinct  you  will  find  ample  scope  and  oppor- 
tunity to  aid  and  to  uplift  humanity.  There  will  be 
found  that  grander  theme  to  which  5-our  natures  aspire. 
There  will  you  find  uplifting,  ennobling,  sanctifying 
Art,  which  is  denied  you  without.  And  above  all  and 
bej'ond  all,  she  offers  the  assurance  of  that  blessed  im- 
mortality promised  by  Him  who  gave  His  life  a  ransom 
for  all  that"  in  simplicity  and  truth  worship  at  His  feet. 

In  this,  my  appeal  to  you,  I  include  my  honoured 
friend,  the  president  of  this  association.  Joyful,  indeed, 
will  be  the  day  when  the  House  of  Israel  shall  join 
itself  to  the  Catholic  Church.  We  should,  indeed,  be 
ungrateful  were  Catholics  ever  to  forget  what  they  owe 
to  the  House  of  Israel.  Japheth  doth,  indeed,  dwell 
in  the  tent  of  Shem,  but  our  elder  brother  Shem 
hath  deserted  his  tent,  and  he  hath  been  an  exile  and 
a  wanderer,  lo,  these  many  j'ears  !  Come,  then,  my 
brother  !  Come,  brethren  ;  the  Catholic  Church,  the 
Church  Universal,  is  already  here.  Its  doors  are  open, 
waiting  for  you.  United,  let  us,  at  the  beginning  of 
this,  the  approaching  twentieth  century,  strive  for  that 
highest  good  which  it  is  the  chief  duty  of  the  Christian 
to  pursue  on  earth. 


CHAPTER  L 


THE  VAST  POVERTY-STRICKEN   HOST 


Ezra. — The  next  speaker  will  be  Mr.  Moore,  the 
censor  of  the  evening. 

Mr.  Moore. — Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : 
Before  attempting  any  criticism  on  what  has  been  said 
by  the  speakers  who  preceded  me,  I  deem  it  proper  to 
relate  some  personal  experiences  in  regard  to  the  sub- 
ject before  us.  I  therefore  request  permission  to  vary 
from  the  usual  mode  of  procedure  by  the  censor.  An 
additional  reason  for  this  request  is  the  fact  that  my 
opinions  on  the  subject  have  now  undergone  some 
radical  changes. 

Ezra. — What  is  the  pleasure  of  the  meeting  ? 

Bradley. — As  this  same  privilege  was  extended  to 
the  censor  at  our  last  meeting,  I  move  that  Mr.  Moore's 
request  be  granted. 

The  motion,  having  been  seconded,  was  carried. 
'Mr.  Moore. — Mr.  President,  lyadies  and  Gentlemen  : 
I  confess  that  at  the  conclusion  of  our  last  meeting,  and 
for  some  time  thereafter,  I  seemed  to  find  satisfaction 
in  the  way  in  which  the  discussion  had  terminated.  It 
seemed  to  me  that  the  unanimous  rejection  of  the  pro- 
position submitted  was  a  triumph  for  Christianity.     I 

429 


430  Let  There  Be  Light 

saw  in  our  action  a  just  rebuke  to  some  new-fangled 
notions.  The  plan  seemed  to  me  designed  to  overturn 
the  established  order  and,  on  its  ruins,  to  institute  a 
system  of  idolatry  tinged  with  atheism. 

To  make  sure  that  I  was  not  mistaken,  I  spent  a  con- 
siderable part  of  my  spare  time  in  the  public  library, 
and  read  up  on  the  subject.  It  is  true  that  Herbert 
Spencer,  in  his  First  Principles,  devotes  a  chapter  to  the 
"reconciliation"  of  the  differences  between  Science 
and  Religion;  but,  in  common  with  almost  all  similar 
thinkers,  he  comes  to  the  conclusion  that  "  Science  has 
been  obliged  to  abandon  these  attempts  to  include 
within  the  boundaries  of  knowledge  that  which  cannot 
be  known,  and  has  so  yielded  up  to  Religion  that  which 
of  right  belonged  to  it." 

This  reading  but  tended  to  confirm  my  opinion,  and 
I  felt  convinced  that  the  proposed  remedy  for  the  evils 
of  our  present  social  system  was  no  remedy  at  all. 

One  evening,  about  a  month  after  our  last  meeting, 
as  I  was  sitting  at  supper  at  my  boarding  place,  the 
subject  again  came  to  my  mind.  I  fancied  that  the 
boarding-house  dining-room  had  been  transformed  into 
one  of  the  proposed  new  churches,  that  the  pitcher  of 
ice-water,  the  tall  glass  containing  celery,  and  the  pie, 
all  in  front  of  the  landlady,  were  the  water,  the  plant 
and  the  earth  of  the  proposed  new  altar.  Each  of  the 
boarders  was  pictured  in  my  mind's  eye  as  wearing  a 
wreath  of  flowers  bound  around  the  head.  So  real  and 
so  absurdly  grotesque  did  the  picture  seem  that  I 
laughed  outright. 

"  What  are  you  laughing  at  ?  "  asked  my  landlady. 

I  could  not  reply,  but  laughed  all  the  more,  and  all 
the  boarders  at  the  table  looked  at  me  inquiringly. 

Feeling   bound   to   give   some    explanation   of    my 


The  Vast  Poverty-Stricken  Host  431 

conduct,  I  did  so  by  asking,  "  How  would  you  like  to 
see  worshippers  at  church  wearing  garlands  of  flowers 
around  their  heads  ?  " 

No  one  of  the  boarders  volunteered  a  reply,  but  all 
continued  looking  at  me  inquiringly  for  further  in- 
formation. I  then  gave  a  brief  outline  of  the  proposed 
Church  Universal.  My  recital  was  followed  by  an  ani- 
mated conversation,  in  which  all  at  the  table  took  part. 
The  theme  gave  rise  to  much  merriment,  and  was 
treated  by  almost  all  as  a  joke. 

After  supper,  as  I  was  about  to  leave  the  room,  one 
of  the  boarders,  an  elderly  man,  named  Winslow,  came 
over,  seated  himself  by  me,  and  said,  "  Mr.  Moore,  I 
should  be  glad  to  hear  some  further  details  of  this  pro- 
posed new  church." 

"  I  will  give  them  to  you  with  pleasure,"  I  replied  ; 
"  and  I  hope  you  will  let  me  have  the  benefit  of  your 
opinion  in  return.  Perhaps  the  best  way  will  be  for 
me  to  hand  you  the  reports  of  our  discussions.  The 
proposition  was  made  at  a  recent  meeting  of  the  associa- 
tion of  which  I  am  a  member." 

Thereupon  I  went  upstairs,  obtained  the  reports,  and, 
returning  to  the  sitting-room,  handed  them  to  Mr. 
Winslow.  In  about  an  hour  and  a  half  he  came  to  my 
room.  "  I  am  sorry  to  say,"  he  began,  "  that  I  have 
not  been  able  to  finish  reading  these  papers,  and  as  I 
leave  the  city  earl}^  in  the  morning  I  return  them  now 
with  thanks.  I  have  read  to  the  end  of  the  discussions 
on  '  Competition  and  Collectivism,'  and  I  have  found 
the  matter  very  interesting  and  instructive.  I  shall 
be  glad  of  an  opportunity  to  continue  the  reading  on 
my  return  to  the  city  in  a  few  weeks." 

Observing  from  his  manner  that  he  had  some  further 
opinions  to  express,  I  invited  him  to  be  seated,  and, 


432  Let  There  Be  Light 

after  a  moment's  hesitation,  ventured  the  question, 
"  Of  what  practical  value  do  you  think  such  discussions 
are?" 

"  Of  great  practical  value,"  he  replied.  "  They  are 
educators  of  a  high  order."  He  paused,  apparently 
expecting  some  comment;  but,  finding  that  I  made 
none,  he  continued,  ' '  To  what  conclusions  did  the  dis- 
cussions lead  ?  ' ' 

"  None,"  I  replied  ;  but,  hastily  correcting  myself,  I 
added,  "  The  church, — the  new  church." 

Mr.  Winslow  was  silent  for  a  time,  as  if  absorbed  in 
thought.  Then  he  observed,  "  I  should  judge  from 
what  I  have  read  that  this  subject  by  no  means  deserved 
the  thoughtless  treatment  it  received  at  the  supper  table. 
I  can  give  no  opinion  on  the  proposed  church,  because 
I  have  not  yet  read  to  that  point  in  your  discussions. 
But  what  I  have  read  leads  me  to  think  the  conclusions 
deserved  at  least  a  respectful  consideration." 

Stung  by  the  justice  of  the  remark,  I  said :  "  You  are 
right.     I  deserve  the  rebuke,  and  I  thank  you  for  it." 

"  That  is  a  frank  admission,"  he  replied,  smiling. 
' '  Let  me  venture  another  observation  that  may  not  be 
inappropriate.  You,  like  many  other  sectarian  be- 
lievers, seem  to  think  that  in  brushing  aside  what  ap- 
pear to  3'ou  antagonistic  opinions  you  win  a  victory  for 
God,  and  are  therefore  entitled  to  His  favour  and  to  the 
applause  of  men.  But  if  the  matter  brushed  aside  be 
of  real  merit,  then  you  deserve  neither  the  approval  of 
God  nor  men's  applause. 

"  An  improvement  in  belief,"  he  continued,  "  may 
be  of  the  greatest  benefit  to  mankind  ;  and  as  for  God, 
all  our  days  on  earth  were  given  us  to  study  Him. 
This  is  one  of  the  most  important  and  most  solemn 
duties  of  life.     Besides,  the  man  who  lives  such  a  life, 


The  Vast  Poverty-Stricken  Host  435 

and  makes  this  his  chief  studj'-,  will  have  passed  his 
days  on  earth  in  full  accord  with  God's  design.  Simply 
to  believe,  without  knowing  the  reason  for  belief,  is  not 
the  attribute  of  nobleness  or  high-mindedness;  it  is  the 
characteristic  of  a  boorish  mind.  To  inquire,  to  study, 
to  strive,  to  climb  upward,  constitute  the  noble  task 
given  to  those  who,  although  men,  are  yet  God-like 
in  act."  Mr.  Winslow  arose,  held  out  his  hand  and 
bade  me  good-night.  I  thanked  him  heartily  for  his 
advice,  and,  when  he  was  gone,  sat  down  and  began  to 
think. 

"  Simply  to  believe,  without  knowing  the  reason  for 
belief,  is  not  the  attribute  of  nobleness  or  high-minded- 
ness ;  it  is  the  characteristic  of  a  boorish  mind."  Was 
this  man  right?  "  To  inquire,  to  study,  to  strive,  to 
climb  upward,  constitute  the  task  given  to  those  who, 
although  men,  are  yet  God-like  in  act."  Was  he 
right  ?  The  question  repeated  itself,  and  took  a  firm 
hold  on  my  mind.  "  Yes,"  came  the  answer  ;  "  he  is 
right  and  I  am  wrong."  Having  come  to  this  conclu- 
sion, I  determined  to  make  as  thorough  an  investiga- 
tion of  the  subject  as  was  possible  for  me. 

Following  out  this  conclusion,  I  devoted  almost  all 
m}^  spare  time  to  earnest  study.  I  began  by  question- 
ing the  system  under  which  we  live.  Have  we  achieved 
the  best  possible  results  ?  And  the  answer  came 
promptly,  "  No."  Far  from  having  achieved  the  best 
possible  results,  we  shall,  it  is  more  likely,  find  that 
our  principal  period  of  achievement  in  higher  develop- 
ment lies  before  us. 

Here  was  this  world,  supplied  with  resources  and 
forces  which,  if  properl}'^  utilised,  would  bring  abun- 
dance and  a  just  measure  of  happiness  to  all.     Going  to 

my  window,  I  looked  out  into  the  street,  and  it  required 

28 


434  Let  There  Be  Light 

no  keen  effort  of  imagination  on  my  part  to  picture  the 
human  quagmire  that  surrounded  me.  Alas,  I  knew 
only  too  well  the  miles  and  miles  of  tenements,  as  we 
know  them  who  live  in  them.  We,  who  pass  the 
greater  part  of  our  lives  in  the  tenement  house,  require 
no  Dickens  to  describe  them.  The  misery  of  the  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  of  poorly  fed,  poorly  clothed  and 
poorly  housed  inmates  we  well  know.  Their  stunted, 
enfeebled  minds  stamp  them  patently  "  menial  "  and 
"servile" — so  patently  that  even  he  who  runs  may 
read.  Beyond  this  vast  poverty-stricken  host  are  to 
be  found  the  grand  avenues  and  the  boulevards  of  the 
comparatively  few,  the  fortunate,  the  rich.  And  these 
fortunates  —  did  they  concern  themselves  with  plans, 
with  methods,  for  the  amelioration  of  the  condition  of 
the  unfortunate  tenement-house  dwellers?  Did  they 
strive  toward  bettering  the  conditions  of  the  poor  ? 

Alas,  no  !  The  rich  use  the  poor  as  a  tool,  as  a 
means,  as  a  ladder,  as  servants  in  the  factories  and  as 
lackeys  in  their  houses,  with  but  one  thought  upper- 
most, and  that  thought  the  scientific  exploitation  of 
these  very  poor.  How  best  to  subjugate,  how  best  to 
enervate,  how  best  to  humiliate  and  how  best  to  keep 
subservient  this  mass,  seems  to  be  the  main  thought 
that  actuates  the  wealthy. 

And  as  for  the  poor,  do  they  strive  to  escape  from 
this  servility,  this  barbarism  ?  No  ;  for  their  rusty, 
clogged  and  stunted  minds  permit  them  no  volition 
other  than  to  follow  the  path  laid  down  for  them  by 
their  leaders,  the  rich.  It  seemed  to  me  that  at  the 
end  of  the  march  of  all  these  historic  centuries  mankind 
was  still  living  in  the  age  of  cannibalism;  for  the  chief 
thought  of  one  and  all  seemed  to  be  how  best  to  possess 
and  devour  one  another. 


The  Vast  Poverty-Stricken  Host  435 

And  this  devouring  force  —  does  it  not  actuate  and 
permeate  the  entire  social  structure  ?  Surely,  But  is 
there  not  room,  is  there  not  need,  for  a  counteracting 
force  in  an  opposite  direction,  in  the  direction  of  up- 
building, uplifting  and  civilising  ?  What  other  force 
is  more  available,  more  suited  to  the  purpose  than  re- 
ligion ?  Does  religion  now  perform  this  function  ? 
And  I  was  compelled  to  answer,  "  No."  I  was  re- 
luctant to  come  to  this  conclusion,  because  of  my 
reverence  for  religion;  but  I  was  compelled  to  do  so 
simply  because  the  conclusion  is  a  fact. 

What  should  be  a  compact,  united,  powerful  force 
toward  general  amelioration,  is  in  reality  a  motley 
heterogeneous  conglomeration  of  quarrelsome  sects, 
each  eager,  above  all  things,  to  increase  its  revenues. 
And  as  these  revenues  come,  in  the  main,  from  the 
poor,  it  follows  that  the  poor  pay  for  their  own  enslave- 
ment. 

To  pay  for  lubricants  to  oil  the  machinery  designed 
to  send  millions  of  starved  and  stunted  souls  to  Heaven 
does  not  seem  to  me  to  be  nearly  as  profitable  as  to  pay 
toward  creating  a  force  which  would  ameliorate  con- 
ditions on  earth.  Right  living  on  earth  would  soon 
bring  with  it  right  thinking,  and  right  thinking  would 
surely  send  many  more,  and  nobler,  souls  to  Heaven 
than  is  now  possible. 

Such  were  my  conclusions,  and  this  time  after  most 
earnest  and  careful  study. 


CHAPTER  LI 

THK   SURVIVAL   OF   POLYTHEISM 

Mr.  Moore  (continuing). — At  the  expiration  of  a  few 
weeks  Mr.  Winslow  returned,  and  at  once  asked  me  to 
lend  him  again  the  reports  of  our  meetings.  This  I  did, 
at  the  same  time  requesting  him  to  give  me  his  opinion 
on  them  when  he  had  read  them  through.  He  acceded 
readily  to  my  request,  and  took  the  reports.  After 
keeping  them  for  five  days,  he  called  early  in  the  even- 
ing at  my  room  and  deposited  the  papers  on  the  table. 

"Well,  Mr.  Winslow,"  I  said,  "what  is  your 
opinion  ?  " 

Seating  himself  in  the  chair  which  I  offered,  he  be- 
gan: "  My  opinion  is  that  now,  at  the  approach  of  the 
twentieth  century,  is  a  most  opportune  time  for  the 
promulgation  of  the  proposition  these  papers  contain. 
I  believe  in  the  proposition;  in  fact,  it  is  impossible  for 
the  unbiassed  mind  to  do  otherwise.  It  cannot  be 
undermined  or  overthrown  by  any  human  reason." 

"  I  hav^e  about  come  to  j^our  conclusion,"  I  observed; 
"  but  there  is  a  stumbling-block  in  the  way." 

"What  is  it?" 

"  Does  not  acceptance  of  this  idea  involve  a  denial  of 
the  divinity  of  Christ  ?  ' ' 

436 


The  Survival  of  Polytheism       437 

"  In  what  way  ?  " 

"  I  hardly  know  how  to  express  myself,"  I  replied, 
"but  I  will  try  my  best.  I  do  not  see  what  room 
there  is  for  Christ  in  a  system  like  that  outlined  in  the 
papers  before  you.  The  system  seems  a  most  practica- 
ble one  in  so  far  as  its  operation  will  largely  tend  to 
ameliorate  material  conditions  ;  that  I  agree  to.  But 
it  seems  to  me  it  must  tend  to  weaken  spiritual  belief  to 
a  great  degree." 

"  How  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Winslow. 

"  In  that  it  will  leave  no  room  for  Christ  as  co-ruler 
with  God  the  Father." 

"  Oh,  I  see,"  he  remarked.  "  You  evidently  con- 
ceive the  Ruler  of  the  Universe  as  a  personality  with 
three  heads  and  one  body,  very  nearly  as  the  painters 
in  the  early  history  of  Christianity  painted  Him.  Ex- 
cuse me  for  a  moment.  I  have  a  book  in  my  room 
from  which  I  should  like  to  read  you  a  few  paragraphs." 

He  left  the  room  and  quickl}'  returned.  "  Here  is  a 
book,"  he  said,  "  by  Andrew  Dickson  White,  formerly 
president  of  Cornell  University.  It  is  called  The  War- 
fare of  Science  with  Theology,  I  have  turned  down  the 
pages  to  indicate  the  passages  to  which  I  want  to  call 
5'our  attention." 

I  took  the  book  and  read  : 

"The  Creator  was  sometimes  represented  with  a  single  body, 
but  with  three  faces,  thus  showing  that  Christian  belief  had  in 
some  pious  minds  gone  through  substantially  the  same  cycle 
which  an  earlier  form  of  belief  had  made  ages  before  in  India^ 
when  the  Supreme  Being  was  represented  with  one  body  but 
with  the  three  faces  of  Brahma,  Vishnu,  and  Siva." 

"  Do  you  perceive  the  light  thrown  on  your  objection 
by  the  passage  3'ou  have  just  read?"  asked  Mr. 
Winslow. 


43^  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  I  fail  to  perceive  it." 

"  Then  read  on  at  the  next  place." 

I  read  as  follows  : 

"Among  those  masses  of  cathedral  sculpture  which  preserve 
so  much  of  mediteval  theolog}',  one  frequently  recurring  group 
is  noteworthy  for  its  presentment  of  a  time-honoured  doctrine 
regarding  the  origin  of  the  universe. 

"  The  Almighty,  in  human  form,  sits  benignly,  making  the 
sun,  moon  and  stars,  and  hanging  them  from  the  solid  firma- 
ment which  supports  the  '  Heaven  above '  and  overarches  the 
'  earth  beneath.' 

"The  furrows  of  thought  on  the  Creator's  brow  show  that  in 
this  work  He  is  obliged  to  contrive  ;  the  knotted  muscles  upon 
His  arms  show  that  He  is  obliged  to  toil;  naturally,  then,  the 
sculptors  and  painters  of  the  mediaeval  and  early  modern 
period  frequently  represented  Him  as  the  writers  whose  con- 
ceptions they  embodied  had  done, — as,  on  the  seventh  day, 
weary  after  thought  and  toil,  enjoying  well-earned  repose  and 
the  plaudits  of  the  hosts  of  Heaven. 

"In  these  thought-fossils  of  the  cathedrals,  and  in  other 
revelations  of  the  same  idea  through  sculpture,  painting,  glass- 
staining,  mosaic  work,  and  engraving,  during  the  Middle  Ages 
and  the  two  centuries  following,  culminated  a  belief  which  had 
been  developed  through  thousands  of  years,  and  which  has 
determined  the  world's  thought  until  our  own  time." 

"  Do  you  still  fail  to  see  the  connection?"  asked 
Mr.  Winslow. 

"  I  do." 

"  Do  you  not  see,"  pursued  Mr.  Winslow,  "  that 
such  a  belief  is  polytheism,  and  not  monotheism  ?  Do 
you  not  remember  that  the  Bible  tells  us  that  when 
Christ  came  on  earth  He  came  as  spirit,  and  became 
incarnate;  or,  as  is  said,  'the  word  became  flesh'  ? 
Have  you  not  also  heard  that  in  the  transfiguration 
the  spirit  again  returned  whence  it  came  ? 


The  Survival  of  Polytheism       439 

"  Your  mental  picture  of  the  form  of  Christ,  your 
conception  of  Him  with  human  hneaments,  is  no  doubt 
due  to  the  impression  you  have  received  from  pictures 
of  the  Ascension.  Such  images,  you  surely  know,  are 
idolatrous  and  polytheistic. 

"  The  trouble  seems  to  be  that  you,  in  common  with 
almost  all  Christians,  find  it  exceedingly  difficult  to 
become  a  real  believer  in  monotheism.  Our  ancestors, 
at  the  time  of  their  conversion  to  Christianity,  appeared 
to  have  entirely  abandoned  polytheism  for  monothe- 
ism; but  in  reality  there  was  but  an  imperfect  conver- 
sion. To  all  intents  and  purposes  the  polytheism  was 
still  there  ;  modified,  perhaps,  but  there  it  was,  and  to 
a  great  extent  it  still  survives  in  the  offspring  of  the 
converts. 

"  What  untold  mischiefs  may  not  be  traced  to  the 
survival  and  persistence  of  this  phase  of  idolatry  !  To 
this  evil  may  be  attributed  the  division  of  the  Christian 
Church  and  its  bitter  and  violent  contentions  and  dis- 
sensions. It  is  this  idolatrous  phase  in  Christianity 
which  renders  it  impotent  as  an  ameliorating  force  in 
human  society.  It  is  this  idolatrous  phase  which 
places  religion  in  the  background, — which,  with  ten- 
tacles of  greed,  fraud  and  hypocrisy,  clings  to  pro- 
gress, and  thus  retards  civilisation.  It  is  this  phase 
which  forces  science  to  usurp  that  place  of  high  honour 
which  of  right  ought  to  belong  to  religion.  Remove 
from  religion  this  idolatrous  phase,  and  you  remove  the 
block  and  hindrance  to  amelioration,  to  progress  and 
to  civilisation. 

"  Does  God  ask  us  to  spend  our  da3's  on  earth  in 
fruitless  efforts  to  guess  what  His  form  is  ?  Does  He 
not  prohibit  this  very  thing,  by  commanding  that  we 
make  no  form  or  image  of  Him  ?     And  does  not  this 


440  Let  There  Be  Light 

command  imply  that  we  should  refrain  from  making  a 
mental  image  of  Him  as  well  ?  " 

"  Your  words  seem  to  be  well  said,"    I  observed. 
"  I  am  almost  persuaded  to  believe  that  you  are  right." 

Mr.  Winslow  continued:  "  God  has  again  and  again 
told  us,  in  the  Bible,  that  what  He  required  of  us  was 
not  that  we  should  spend  our  days  on  earth  in  the  vain 
occupation  of  guessing  at  His  form,  but  that  we  should 
each  of  us  love  his  neighbour  as  himself.  Twisting  this 
plain  command  to  suit  our  primitive  fancies,  we  do  just 
the  opposite.  We  spend  most  of  our  precious  time  in 
exploiting  our  neighbour,  and  in  guessing  what  form 
God  has.  In  this,  we  are  guilty  of  deep  and  deadly 
sin  ;  sin  which  causes  unfathoraed  misery;  sin  which 
divides  and  antagonises  and  embitters;  sin  which  ren- 
ders this  earth  a  Sodom  and  a  Gomorrah  when  it  might 
otherwise  be  a  Paradise.  It  is  this  deadly  sin  which  is 
the  chief  cause  of  error  and  confusion.  It  is  this  abomi- 
nation which  makes  wrong  seem  right,  and  right  seem 
wrong,  which  constantly  breeds  selfishness,  deception 
and  cruelty;  until,  in  the  end,  the  blurring  and  distort- 
ing vision  beholds  as  normal  and  orderly  that  which  is 
abnormal  and  in  riotous  disorder. 

"  This  is  the  idolatrous  .sin  which  breeds  scepticism, 
hypocrisy,  atheism  and  pessimism,  and  this  sin  it  is 
which  renders  religion  a  .sport  and  a  plaything  to  be 
buffeted  and  kicked  about  by  everyone  that  chooses. 

"  I  see,"  pursued  Mr.  Winslow,  "  that  you  have  here 
a  copy  of  Herbert  Spencer's  First  Principles.  Permit 
me  to  read  you  what  he  has  to  say  on  this  subject." 

I  handed  him  the  book,  and  he  read  : 

"The  consciousness  of  an  Inscrutable  Power  manifested  to  us 
through  all  phenomena,  has  been  growing  ever  clearer ;  and 
must  eventually  be  freed  from  its  imperfections.     The  certainty 


The  Survival  of  Polytheism       441 

that  on  the  oue  hand  such  a  Power  exists,  while  on  the  other 
hand  its  nature  transcends  intuition  and  is  beyond  imagination, 
is  the  certainty  towards  which  intelligence  has  from  the  first 
been  progressing.      .   . 

"Have  we  not  seen  how  utterly  incompetent  our  minds  are 
to  form  even  an  approach  to  a  conception  of  that  which  under- 
lies all  phenomena  ?  Is  it  not  proved  that  this  incompetency  is 
the  incompetency  of  the  Conditioned  to  grasp  the  Uncondi- 
tioned ?  Does  it  not  follow  that  the  Ultimate  Cause  cannot  in  any 
respect  be  conceived  by  us  because  it  is  in  every  respect  greater 
than  can  be  conceived?  And  may  we  not,  therefore,  rightly 
refrain  from  assigning  to  it  any  attributes  whatever,  on  the 
ground  that  such  attributes,  derived  as  they  must  be  from  our 
own  natures,  are  not  elevations  but  degradations?  .  .  . 
Religion  has  ever  been  more  or  less  irreligious  ;  and  it  con- 
tinues to  be  partially  irreligious  even  now.  In  the  first  place, 
as  implied  above,  it  has  all  along  professed  to  have  some  know- 
ledge of  that  which  transcends  knowledge  ;  and  has  so  contra- 
dicted its  own  teachings.  While  with  oue  breath  it  has  asserted 
that  the  Cause  of  all  things  passes  understanding,  it  has,  with 
the  next  breath,  asserted  that  the  Cause  of  all  things  possesses 
such  or  such  attributes — can  be  in  so  far  understood. 

"  In  the  second  place,  while  in  great  part  sincere  in  its  fealty 
to  the  great  truth  it  has  had  to  uphold,  it  has  often  been  insin- 
cere, and  consequently  irreligious,  in  maintaining  the  untenable 
doctrines  by  which  it  has  obscured  this  great  truth.     .     .     . 

"How  truly  its  central  position  is  impregnable,  Religion  has 
never  adequately  realised.     .     .     . 

"  Obliged  to  abandon  one  by  one  the  superstitions  it  once 
tenaciously  held,  and  daily  finding  its  cherished  beliefs  more 
and  more  shaken.  Religion  shows  a  secret  fear  that  all  things 
may  some  day  be  explained.     .     . 

"The  truly  religious  element  of  Religion  has  always  been 
good  ;  that  which  has  proved  untenable  in  doctrine  and  vicious 
in  practice,  has  been  its  irreligious  element." 

Mr.  Winslow  laid  down  the  book.  "It  is  the  irre- 
ligious element  in  religion,"  he  said,  "  which  is  re- 
sponsible for  much  of  the  crime  and  poverty  and  misery 


442  Let  There  Be  Light 

that  surround  us;  and  any  and  all  eflforts  at  reform  that 
do  not  include  the  radical  abolition  of  the  irreligious 
element  in  religion  must  prove  valueless  and  futile." 

"  Do  5'ou  really  believ^e,  then,"  I  asked,  "  that  the 
scheme  proposed  in  our  debates  opens  a  path  of  relief  ?  " 

"  Most  surely,"  he  replied;  "  for  it  will  begin,  right 
from  the  very  start,  to  replace  error  by  truth.  It  will 
transform  wrong  thinking  into  right  thinking,  and  this 
will  in  turn  transform  wrong  doing  into  right  doing. 
Men  receive  the  treatment  their  intellectual  strength 
deserves  ;  a  physically  strong  man  who  is  intellectually 
weak  is  the  best  possible  material  for  servitude.  De- 
velop this  same  man's  intellect,  and  j'ou  emancipate 
him.  Nothing  whatever  is  better  adapted  to  emanci- 
pate the  masses  from  mental  and  physical  slavery  than 
is  the  plan  proposed." 

"  Do  you  think  the  people  will  readily  accept  this 
new  idea  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  The  idea  is  not  at  all  new,"  he  answered;  "  on  the 
contrary,  it  is  very  old,  older  than  Christianity  or 
Judaism.  It  is  aptly  illustrated  by  these  lines  from 
Pope"  : 

"  Father  of  all !  in  every  age, 
In  every  clime  adored, 
By  saint,  by  savage,  and  by  sage, 
Jehovah,  Jove,  or  Lord  ! 

"To  thee,  whose  temple  is  all  space, 
Whose  altar,  earth,  sea,  skies! 
One  chorus  let  all  Being  raise  ! 
All  Nature's  incense  rise  !  " 

"  Such,"  continued  Mr.  Winslow,  "  has  been,  and  is, 
the  belief  of  many  among  the  most  intelligent  people  of 
the  world.    As  for  its  general  acceptance,  that  can  only 


The  Survival  of  Polytheism       443 

be  accomplished  as  the  result  of  much  effort.  It  may- 
be hundreds  or  thousands  of  years  before  the  idea  is 
generally  accepted,  but  accepted  it  will  be  some  day." 

"  Is  it  not  possible  that  some  other  mode  of  reform 
may  present  itself,  capable  of  accomplishing  the  same 
results,  and  easier  of  adoption  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  No  other  reform  can  be  a  substitute  for  this  one  ; 
for  whenever  the  primary  idea  of  the  mass  of  the  people 
is  grounded  in  error,  it  must  follow  that  all  their  other 
ideas  are  likewise  tinged  with  error.  All  other  pro- 
posed reforms  are,  therefore,  simply  palliatives  and 
valueless  ;  for  before  the  world  can  be  expected  to  act 
justly,  it  must  first  learn  to  think  intelligently." 

"  If  the  difficulties  are  so  great  in  the  way  of  the 
general  acceptance  of  this  idea,"  I  observed,  "  who 
could  be  found  willing  to  undertake  its  promulgation  ?  " 

"  It  would  seem  to  me,"  he  replied,  "  that  the  proper 
persons  to  begin  this  work  are  those  who  suffer  most 
under  the  present  system." 

"  But,"  I  said,  "  they  are  too  poor  to  do  so  ;  they 
have  not  the  means  to  build  a  church  involving  the 
vast  outlay  which  the  carrying  out  of  the  plan  requires. ' ' 

' '  There  is  no  more  necessity  for  a  grand  and  costly 
church  at  the  start,  in  order  to  carry  out  this  idea," 
said  Mr.  Winslow,  "  than  there  was  for  a  St.  Peter's 
Church  or  a  St.  Paul's  Cathedral  in  the  early  days  of 
Christianity.  This  church  can  be  started  in  a  room, 
in  a  hall,  anywhere  ;  and  the  only  paraphernalia  that 
you  require  are  a  pitcher  of  water,  a  clod  of  earth  and 
a  growing  plant  for  your  altar." 

Our  conversation  at  this  point  turned  to  other  sub- 
jects, and  soon  Mr.  Winslow  arose  and  took  his  leave. 

It  is  now  scarcely  necessary  for  me  to  tell  you  that 
my  former  opinions  have  undergone  a  complete  change. 


444  Let  There  Be  Light 

I  am  now  a  firm  believer  in  the  proposed  Church 
Universal. 

In  concluding  my  remarks,  I  wish  to  address  myself 
particularly  to  my  esteemed  friend,  Mr.  Valanti.  He 
has  made  an  able  and  powerful  plea  for  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church.  Were  I  inclined  to  do  so,  I  could 
prove  beyond  the  possibility  of  a  doubt  that  he  has  told 
but  one  part  of  the  story.  He  has  magnified  the  virtues 
of  the  Romish  Church  ;  he  has,  however,  obscured  and 
ignored  her  enormous  failings.  But  I  do  not  deem  it 
necessary  or  proper  at  this  time  to  continue  any  antag- 
onism. We  are  offered,  in  the  proposed  plan,  a  solu- 
tion of  the  problem  confronting  us.  In  accepting  it, 
we  no  longer  find  any  necessity  for  antagonism  and 
contention. 

Most  of  us  present  have  already  accepted  this  plan, 
and  it  now  becomes  the  duty  and  privilege  of  the  con- 
verted to  exert  their  most  earnest  endeavour  to  cause 
the  conversion  of  our  respected  friend,  so  that  he  may 
be  still  further  promoted  in  our  love  by  becoming  our 
brother  in  faith. 

And  thus,  in  closing,  I  reach  out  the  hand  of  fellow- 
ship and  brotherhood  to  our  fellow-inquirer.  Let  us 
all  hope  and  pray  that  he  may  accept  it  in  the  spirit  in 
which  it  is  offered,  and  that  thus  the  cause  that  has 
divided  us  may  be  forever  dissipated. 


CHAPTER   LII 


TH£;   NEW   FAITH 


Ezra. — Before  proceeding  with  a  review  of  what  has 
been  said,  I  first  of  all  desire  to  extend  the  hand  of 
fellowship  to  my  brethren  in  the  New  Faith  — the 
Faith  to  which  they  and  I  have  now  publicly  given  our 
assent. 

In  using  the  words  "  New  Faith,"  we  should  under- 
stand them  in  the  sense  that  the  Faith  is  new  to  us. 
The  Faith  in  which  we  have  now  declared  ourselves  be- 
lievers is  in  reality  very  old;  as  old  as  that  primal  soul 
harnessed  to  human  body,  which,  reaching  upward  in 
true  accord  with  its  spiritual  nature,  sought  its  spiritual 
prototype  and  found  God.  Thus,  finding  God,  man 
likewise  found  a  brother,  for  every  man  became  to  him 
a  brother,  and  God  became  the  All-Father.  It  was 
thus  and  then  that  our  Faith  was  born,  and  it  is  older 
than  writing  or  hieroglyphic  inscriptions.  Such,  then, 
is  the  great  antiquity  of  our  new  Faith. 

And  now  I  deem  it  proper  to  reach  out  the  hand  of 
brotherhood  to  all  such  as  have  openly  confessed  The 
Faith. 

Messrs.  Bradley,  Fisher,  Quail  and  Moore  went  over 
to  Ezra,  and  shook  hands  with  him  and  embraced  him. 

445 


44^  Let  There  Be  Light 

Quail. — I  suggest  that  we  permit  others  in  this  room, 
who  have  not  yet  spoken,  to  declare  themselves  on  this 
matter,  if  they  feel  so  inclined. 

The  suggestion  was  unanimously  assented  to,  and 
Ezra  put  the  question. 

Mr.  Morton. — Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen: 
I  regret  that  I  am  unable  to  deliver  a  public  address. 
Were  it  in  my  power,  I  would  willingly  express  to  you 
my  feelings  on  this  occasion.  This  much,  however,  is 
in  such  bold  relief  in  my  mind  that  I  shall  find  no  difl&- 
culty  in  stating  it  ;  nor  indeed  could  I  withhold  it  with- 
out doing  violence  to  my  conscience. 

I  therefore  say  to  you  all  that  I,  now  and  for  all  time 
hereafter,  declare  myself  a  firm  believer  in  the  New 
Faith:  the  very  same  Faith  that  has  been  declared  and 
assented  to  this  evening.  I  feel  it  a  solemn  duty,  an 
honour  and  a  pleasure,  to  offer  you  my  hand  in  token 
of  brotherhood,  and  I  ask  that  you  accept  me  as  a  co- 
believer.  In  making  this  request  and  this  declaration, 
I  would  not  have  you  think  that  the  conclusion  which 
prompts  my  words  has  been  arrived  at  by  me  or  my 
wife — and  I  say  this  at  her  request — on  the  spur  of  the 
moment  ;  we  have  gone  over  the  subject  with  great 
care,  and  our  conclusions  are  final.  I  may  say  that,  for 
several  j^ears  past,  long  before  I  attended  these  meet- 
ings, this  very  faith  was  hovering  in  my  mind.  That 
it  presented  itself  to  me  in  an  undefined,  vague  form, 
is  true.  Your  debates  and  my  subsequent  inquiries 
have  but  tended  to  bring  out  more  clearly  the  faith 
which  was  in  me.  And  now  having,  as  I  think,  so 
stated  the  matter  as  not  to  be  misunderstood,  I  ask 
that  you  receive  me  as  a  brother  in  faith.  As  for  my 
wife,  she  has  signified  a  wish  to  speak  to  you  on  this 
matter  herself. 


The  New  Faith  447 

Mr.  Morton,  at  the  conclusion  of  his  remarks,  walked 
toward  the  centre  of  the  room,  where  he  was  met  by  all 
the  other  converts,  who,  one  by  one,  cordially  received 
his  extended  hand, 

Mrs.  Morton  then  arose  and  said,  "  Mr.  President, 
before  I  express  my  own  conclusion,  I  desire  to  ask  a 
sign  of  your  sincerity," 

Ezra. — What  is  the  sign  ? 

Mrs.  Morton. — Miss  Seiner,  are  you  a  convert  ? 

Miss  Seiner. — I  am. 

Mrs.  Morloji. — Mr.  Fisher  has  already  declared  him- 
self a  convert.  Do  you  now  understand,  Mr.  President, 
the  sign  which  I  desire  ? 

Ezra. — I  do  ;  and  right  gladly  do  I  now  grant  it. 

Ezra  thereupon  advanced  and  took  his  sister's  hand. 
Then,  addressing  Mr.  Fisher,  he  said,  "  My  brother, 
there  is  no  longer  any  dividing  line  or  barrier  between 
us." 

Mr.  Fisher  quickly  arose  and  joyfully  held  out  his 
hands.  And  Ezra  placed  the  right  hand  of  his  sister 
in  the  right  hand  of  Mr.  Fisher,  who,  turning  toward 
the  assembly,  said,  "  Friends,  be  witnesses  to  our  be- 
trothal." 

Mrs.  Morton  went  forward  and  kissed  Miss  Seiner  ; 
and  then,  turning  to  Ezra,  she  said  :  "  I  owe  to  my 
dear  husband,  and  to  you,  and  to  all  in  this  room,  the 
supreme  pleasure  I  experience  to-night  in  declaring  my 
complete  conversion  to  the  New  Faith;  a  faith  which  I 
feel  will  bring  me  not  only  nearer  to  God,  but  closer  to 
humanity.  I  now  reach  out  to  you  the  hand  of  sister- 
hood, and  ask  you  to  receive  and  accept  me  as  a  sincere 
convert." 

All  the  believers  thereupon  arose  and  cordially  shook 
hands  with  Mrs.  Morton. 


448  Let  There  Be  Light 

E::ra. — As  we  are  now  converts  to  the  Faith,  the  true 
Faith,  it  becomes  our  solemn  duty  to  promulgate  this 
Faith  to  the  full  extent  of  our  power. 

On  this  head  we  can  speak  further  when  the  occasion 
shall  permit.  At  this  time,  I  deem  it  my  duty  to  con- 
tinue with  tlie  review.  In  doing  so,  I  crave  your  in- 
dulgence, and  beg  you  will  overlook  any  irregularity 
in  the  order  of  ni}^  remarks.  The  deep  and  heartfelt 
emotions  which  stir  me  as  the  result  of  the  revelation 
this  evening  so  master  me  that  I  am  unable  to  segre- 
gate my  thoughts  as  I  could  wi.sh.  I  will,  therefore, 
permit  my  utterances  to  come  somewhat  spontaneously 
and  ask  your  pra5'ers  that  what  I  say  may  be  accept- 
able to  God  and  to  you. 

Before  beginning  the  review  proper,  I  wish  to  submit 
some  observations  on  the  future  social  functions  of  the 
new  church.  These  relate  to  suggestions  of  practical 
work  by  the  people,  to  the  end  that  conditions  may  be 
ameliorated. 

As  the  special  occasion  of  this  meeting  will  not  per- 
mit any  extended  argument  on  this  head,  I  will  say 
briefly  that  my  observations  relate  to  the  appointment 
of  committees,  for  the  purposes  mentioned,  as  follows  : 

First :  The  people  in  each  conununity  shall  be  divided 
into  certain  divisions  for  social  duty. 

Second :  The  division  shall  elect  those  who  are  to 
serve  on  connnittees. 

Third :  There  shall  be  minor  and  major  committees. 

Fourtli  :  The  minor  committees  shall  report  to  the 
major  committees. 

Fifth  :  The  principal  reports  of  the  conmiittees  are  to 
be  published  in  the  daily  papers. 

Sixth  :  There  shall  be  the  following  committees  : 

A.  On  Factorv  lynbour. 


i 


The  New  Faith  449 

B.  On  Farm  lyabour. 

C.  On  Sailors. 

D.  On  lyabour  emploj^ed  on  Land  Transportation. 

E.  On  lyabour  employed  on  Coast  and  Inland  Water 
Transportation. 

F.  On  Labour  employed  by  the  Government. 

G.  On  Labour  employed  by  Merchants. 
H.  On  Servants. 

I.  On  Miners. 

J.  On  Miscellaneous  Labour. 

K.  On  the  Franchise. 

L.  On  Public  Amusements  and  Recreations. 

M.  On  Municipal  Law-makers. 

N.  On  National  and  State  Law-makers. 

O.  On  Executives. 

P.  On  Newspapers  and  Publications. 

Q.  On  Public  and  Private  Education. 

R.  On  Dwellings. 

S.  On  Pure  Food. 

T.  On  Adulterations. 

U.  On  the  Judiciary. 

V.  On  Public  and  Private  Charities. 

W.  On  Parks  and  Roads. 

X.  On  Public  and  Private  Sanitation. 

Y.  On  Corporations. 

Z.  On  Reformatories  and  Penal  Institutions. 

I  fully  realise  that  a  proposition  for  the  subdivision 
of  the  people  into  committees  for  the  purpose  of  criticis- 
ing the  various  interests  outlined  would  meet  with  but 
scant  courtesy  in  our  day.  The  time  will,  however, 
surely  come  when  such  committees  shall  perform  these 
very  functions.  Not  in  a  perfunctory  manner,  or  for 
hire,  but  as  a  religious  duty,  and  in  the  service  of  God. 

In  my  opening  remarks  I  alluded  to  our  New  Faith 


450  Let  There  Be  Light 

as  one  of  great  antiquity.  I  now  wish  to  direct  your 
attention  to  a  few  quotations  which  I  have  jotted  down, 
showing  that  this  Faith  was  seemingly  understood  by 
men  of  various  nations. 

James  Freeman  Clarke,  in  his  Te7i  Great  Religions, 
page  52,  says,  concerning  the  belief  promulgated  in 
ancient  China  : 

"There  is  one  highest,  ultimate  principle  of  all  existence, — 
the  Tae-keih,  or  Grand  Extreme.  This  is  absolutely  immaterial, 
and  the  basis  of  the  order  of  the  Universe.  From  this  ultimate 
principle,  operating  from  all  eternity,  come  all  animate  and 
inanimate  nature." 

Tacitus,  in  speaking  on  the  "  Manners  of  the  Ger- 
mans," saj^s  : 

"They  conceive  it  unworthy  the  grandeur  of  celestial  beings 
to  confine  their  deities  within  walls,  or  to  represent  them  under 
a  human  similitude  :  woods  and  groves  are  their  temples  ;  and 
they  aflSx  names  of  divinity  to  that  secret  power,  which  they 
behold  with  the  eye  of  adoration  alone." 

The  Ten  Great  Religions,  page  loi,  in  considering 
the  Brahmins,  from  "  The  First  Book  on  Creation," 
speaks  of  God  thus  : 

"He,  whom  the  mind  alone  can  perceive,  whose  essence 
eludes  the  external  organs,  who  has  no  visible  parts,  who  exists 
from  eternity." 

The  Avesta  says  of  God  : 

"Who  always  was,  always  is,  and  always  will  be." 

Page  239  of  the  Ten  Great  Religions,  on  ' '  The  Gods 
of  Egypt ' ' : 

"  The  interior,  hidden  theology  is  supposed  to  have  related 
to  the  unity  and  spirituality  of  the  Deity." 


The  New  Faith  451 

On  page  313  of  the  same  book  the  Grecian  poet 
speaks  of  God  in  the  following  lines  : 

"  He  is  oue,  self-proceeding  ;  and  from  Him  alone  all  things 
proceed,  and  in  them  He  himself  exerts  His  activity  ;  no  mor- 
tal beholds  Him,  but  He  beholds  all." 

In  the  chapter  "  On  Providence."  Epictetus  says  : 

"You  take  a  journey  to  Olympia  to  see  the  work  of  Phidias, 
and  all  of  you  think  it  a  misfortune  to  die  without  having  seen 
such  things.  But  when  there  is  no  need  to  take  a  journey,  and 
where  a  man  is,  there  he  has  the  works  of  God  before  him,  will 
you  not  desire  to  see  and  understand  them  ? " 

There  existed,  indeed,  a  true  conception  of  God  in 
remote  antiquity,  and,  as  we  have  seen,  among  various 
peoples  and  races.  Unfortunately,  however,  this  know- 
ledge belonged  only  to  the  very  few,  and  those  among 
the  most  learned. 

Why  should  not  this  knowledge  become  the  common 
property  of  all  mankind  ?  That  it  is  not  yet  such  is 
evident  from  the  instructive  illustration  furnished  by 
the  experiment  of  Brother  Bradley  :  "  Papa,  you  told 
us  last  night  there  would  be  something  in  this  room  to- 
day that  would  answer  questions."  How  many  mil- 
lions, not  merely  children  like  Walter,  but  grown-up 
children,  men  and  women,  are  there  who  likewise  fail 
to  see  the  thousands  of  things  that  answer  questions, — 
who  desire  to  go  to  Olympia  to  see  the  statue  which 
Phidias  carved,  but  who  fail  to  see  everywhere,  and  all 
around  them,  the  works  of  God  ! 

Epictetus  also  says  : 

"  If  God  had  made  colours,  but  had  not  made  the  faculty  of 
seeing  them,  what  would  have  been  their  use?  None  at  all. 
On  the  other  hand,  if  He  had  made  the  faculty  of  vision,  but 


452  Let  There  Be  Light 

had  not  made  objects  such  as  fall  under  the  faculty,  what  in 
that  case  also  would  have  been  the  use  of  it?  None  at  all. 
Well,  suppose  that  He  had  made  both,  but  had  not  made  light? 
In  that  case,  also,  they  would  have  been  of  no  use." 

And  since  God  made  colours,  the  faculty  of  vision, 
objects  and  light,  has  He  not  done  this  that  we  may 
learn,  through  these  things,  to  apprehend  Him  ?  Of 
what  use  are  these  things  to  us  if  we  fail  to  employ 
them  for  spiritual  development  ?  Does  not  their  highest 
use  involve  the  apprehension  of  their  spiritual  signifi- 
cance ?  How  beautifull}'  apt,  then,  is  the  closing  sen- 
tence of  Brother  Fisher  :  "  Like  a  kind  and  loving 
Father,  God  has  placed  us  in  His  great  Kindergarten  to 
learn  the  lessons  His  wisdom  deems  good  for  us  to 
know  "  ! 

Froebel,  indeed,  builded  better  than  he  knew,  for  not 
only  is  the  principle  he  taught  applicable  to  young 
children,  but  it  is  as  applicable  to  grown-up  children, 
to  men  and  women  of  all  ages,  and  chiefl}'  so  in  the  do- 
main of  religious  education. 

How  many  hundreds  of  thousands  of  hypocrites,  athe- 
ists and  pessimists  do  not  the  predominant  churches  pro- 
duce who,  under  a  more  rational  system  of  religious 
education  would  learn  to  believe  in  God  !  Is  it  pos- 
sible for  a  hypocrite  to  love  his  neighbour  as  him- 
self? Can  anyone  love  his  neighbour  so  long  as  he 
is  at  heart  an  unbeliever  in  God  ?  "  But,"  it  is  said, 
"  atheists  are  unbelievers,  and  some  of  them  are  very 
noble  people."  True;  but  there  is  this  difference  :  a 
man  may  be  an  atheist  and  an  honest  man  at  the  same 
time;  but  it  is  impossible  for  a  man  to  be  a  hypocrite 
and  an  honest  man  at  the  same  time. 

Great,indeed,  must  be  the  suffering  of  a  spiritual  being 
who  earnestlj'  seeks  for  spiritual  light  and  cannot  find  it ! 


The  New  Faith  453 

Mohammed  says  of  such  : 

"As  darkness  over  a  deep  sea,  billows  riding  ou  billows, 
billows  below  and  clouds  above, — one  darkness  on  another 
darkness, — so  that  if  a  man  stretches  out  his  hand  he  cannot 
behold  it,  thus  is  he  to  whom  the  light  of  God  doth  not  come." 

For  such  there  is  but  one  avenue  of  escape  ;  they  must 
continue  the  search,  and  in  the  end  they  may,  like 
Brother  Fisher,  find  the  Light. 

Brother  Quail,  in  his  opening  remarks,  gives  us  his 
views  on  the  utilitj^  of  rational  debate.  An  evidence 
of  its  utility  is  manifest  in  the  results  of  our  own  dis- 
cussions. It  may  not  be  generally  known  that  Judaism, 
Christianity  and  Grecian  philosophy  are  largely  the 
product  of  debate.  Even  down  to  our  own  day,  a  large 
number  of  Jews  throughout  the  world  assemble  regu- 
larly to  debate  on  the  Scriptures  and  on  Scripture 
commentary. 

Another  interesting  feature  in  Brother  Quail's  re- 
marks is  the  criticism  of  the  professor  on  Uncle  George 
and  Aunt  Dinah.  The  professor  implies  that  Uncle 
George  and  Aunt  Dinah  are  in  reality  better  and  nobler 
than  their  creeds.  This  is  likewise  trite  of  many  thous- 
ands of  other  believers  in  the  predominant  faiths.  How 
sad  is  that  condition  which  makes  the  person  nobler  and 
grander  than  his  highest  ideal  ! 

In  the  diagnosis  by  Brother  Moore  we  are  furnished, 
as  b}'  a  flash-light,  a  glimpse  of  the  source  of  contagion 
which  contaminates  the  predominant  religions  with  the 
virus  of  idolatry.  The  chief  cause  of  the  evils  which 
afflict  humanity  can  be  unerringly  traced  to  the  belief 
in  anthropomorphic  attributes  of  God  and  to  belief  in 
religious  dogmas  which  are  inconsistent  with  and  con- 
trary  to    universal    law.      Those    things    which    are 


454  Let  There  Be  Light 

real,  vital  and  uplifting  are  only  to  be  found  in  the 
eternal  principles  of  verity  inherent  in  law  universal. 

It  is  the  promulgation  of  these  principles  of  verity  by 
Christianity  which  has  given  it  the  grace,  the  power 
and  the  spirit  to  conquer  the  ancient  forms  of  idolatry. 
But,  unfortunatel}^  in  addition  to  teaching  these  eternal 
principles,  it  likewise  taught  and  imperiously  demanded 
belief  in  dogmas  which  are  contrary  to  the  law  uni- 
versal, and  in  anthropomorphic  attributes  of  God;  and 
such  teachings  and  beliefs  have  largely  tended  to  neut- 
ralise the  good  which  the  promulgation  of  the  princi- 
ples of  eternal  verity  might  have  brought  about. 

May  we  hold  Jesus  responsible  for  this  reactionary 
element  in  Christianity  ?  I  think  not.  I  do  not  think 
that  He  taught  the  current  dogmas  which  are  put  forth 
in  His  name  by  the  predominant  churches.  Renan,  iu 
his  Life  of  Jesus,  page  364,  says  : 

"Jesus  is  not  a  founder  of  dogmas,  a  maker  of  symbols  ;  He 
is  tbe  world's  initiator  into  a  new  spirit." 

In  Mark  xii.,  29,  30  and  31,  we  are  told  that  Jesus 
taught  there  is  but  one  God,  and  that  we  should  love 
our  neighbour  as  ourselves.  Christianity,  in  so  far  as 
it  taught  these  eternal  principles  of  verity  inherent  iu 
law  universal,  deserves  the  highest  praise  ;  but  it  de- 
serves the  .severest  condemnation  for  likewise  teaching 
that  which  is  not  verity  nor  conformable  to  law 
universal. 

Heaven  is  not  open  for  exploitation  by  rabbi,  priest 
or  minister,  no  matter  how  learned  or  pious  he  may  be. 
Heaven  is  within  the  domain  of  the  Infinite,  and  God 
the  Infinite  never  revealed  the  secrets  of  Infinity  to 
mortal  beings.  No,  not  through  Abraham,  nor  through 
Moses,  nor  through  Jesus.     God  has,  indeed,  revealed 


The  New  Faith  455 

Himself  to  us,  but  only  and  at  all  times  through  the 
law  of  the  relative,  through  phenomena,  through  His 
manifestations, 

Let  me  read  to  you  what  Maimonides  says  on  this 
head  in  his  Gtcidc  of  the  Perplexed,  page  191 : 

"Moses  asked  two  things  of  God,  and  received  a  reply 
respectiug  both.  The  one  thing  he  asked  was,  that  God  should 
let  him  know  His  true  essence  ;  the  other,  that  God  should  let 
him  know  His  attributes.  In  answer  to  both  these  petitions 
God  promised  that  He  would  let  him  know  all  His  attributes, 
and  that  these  were  nothing  but  His  actions.  He  also  told  him 
that  His  true  essence  could  not  be  perceived." 

And  Immanuel  Kant  teaches  the  very  same  doctrine, 
as  will  be  seen  from  some  of  the  deductions  which  I  will 
quote  from  his  Metaphysic  of  Ethics  : 

"  It  is  the  practical  faculties  alone  which  can  help  us  beyond 
the  sensible  world,  and  procure  us  a  knowledge  of  a  supersens- 
ible order  and  combination  of  things. 

"Such  ends  are  one's  own  perfection, — our  neighbour's  hap- 
piness. 

"Duty  is  the  necessity  of  an  act,  out  of  reverence  felt  for 
law. 

"  Act  from  a  maxim  at  all  times  fit  for  law  universal." 

Whence,  then,  came  this  desire  for  the  exploitation  of 
Heaven  ?  It  came  direct  from  heathenism,  paganism 
and  idolatrj'. 

The  national  pagan  religions  were  wont  to  claim  god 
incarnations  for  their  victorious  military  chieftains 
during  their  lifetime,  and  deified  them  after  death.  So 
grossly  wanton  and  shameless  had  this  barbarous 
notion  become  in  its  degeneracy  that  during  a  period 
before  and  after  the  birth  of  Christ  the  Roman  emperors 
were,  in  their  lifetimes,  worshipped  by  the  people  as 
gods. 


45^  Let  There  Be  Light 

In  Milman's  Gibbon's  Rome,  pages  85  and  509,  we 
find  : 

"A  regular  custom  was  iutroduced,  that,  on  the  decease  of 
every  emperor  who  had  neither  lived  nor  died  like  a  tyrant,  the 
senate  by  a  solemn  decree  should  place  him  iu  the  number  of 
the  gods  :  and  the  ceremonies  of  his  apotheosis  were  blended 
with  those  of  his  funeral.     .     .     . 

"We  should  disgrace  the  virtues  of  the  Antonines  by  com- 
paring them  with  the  vices  of  Hercules  or  Jupiter.     .     .     . 

"  The  mad  attempt  of  Caligula  to  place  his  own  statue  in  the 
temple  of  Jerusalem  was  defeated  by  the  unanimous  resolution 
of  a  people  who  dreaded  death  much  less  than  such  an  idol- 
atrous profanation." 

How  many  sad  and  bitter  calamities  did  not  the  Jews 
suffer  because  they  refused  to  worship  these  emperors  ! 

In  Maclaine's  Moshiem's  Ecclesiastical  History,  page 
17,  we  find  the  following  in  relation  to  paganism  : 

"  The  deities  of  almost  all  nations  were  either  ancient  heroes, 
renowned  for  noble  exploits  and  beneficent  deeds,  or  kings  and 
generals  who  had  founded  empires,  or  women  rendered  illus- 
trious by  remarkable  actions  or  useful  inventions.     .     .     . 

"These  deities  were  honoured  with  rites  and  sacrifices  of 
various  kinds,  according  to  their  respective  nature  and  oQices. 
The  rites  used  in  their  worship  were  absurd  and  ridiculous,  and 
frequently  cruel  and  obscene.  Most  nations  ofi"ered  animals, 
and  some  proceeded  to  the  enormity  of  human  sacrifices.    .    .    . 

"Pontiffs,  priests,  and  ministers,  distributed  into  several 
classes,  presided  iu  this  strange  worship,  and  were  appointed  to 
prevent  disorder  in  the  performance  of  the  sacred  rites ;  but, 
pretending  to  be  distinguished  by  an  immediate  intercourse  and 
friendship  with  the  gods,  they  abused  their  authority  in  the 
basest  manner,  to  deceive  an  ignorant  and  wretched  people." 

On  page  18  of  the  same  book  we  read  : 

"Such  as  were  not  sunk  in  an  unaccountable  and  brutish 
stupidity,  perceived  the  deformity  of  these  religious  systems. 


The  New  Faith  457 

To  these,  the  crafty  priests  addressed  two  considerations,  to  pre- 
vent their  incredulity,  and  to  dispel  their  doubts.  The  first 
was  drawn  from  the  miracles  and  prodigies  which  they  pre- 
tended were  daily  wrought  in  the  temples,  before  the  statues  of 
the  gods  and  heroes  that  were  placed  there  ;  and  the  second 
was  deduced  from  oracles  and  divination,  by  which  they  main- 
tained that  the  secrets  of  futurity  were  unfolded  through  the 
interposition  of  the  gods.  In  both  these  points  the  cunning  of 
the  priests  imposed  miserably  upon  the  ignorance  of  the  people  ; 
and,  if  the  discerning  few  saw  the  cheat,  they  were  obliged, 
from  a  regard  to  their  own  safety,  to  laugh  with  caution,  since 
the  priests  were  ever  ready  to  accuse,  before  a  raging  and  super- 
stitious multitude,  those  who  discovered  their  religious  frauds 
as  rebels  against  the  majesty  of  the  immortal  gods." 

All  this  indicates  with  sufficient  clearness  the  origin 
of  the  idolatrous  taint  which  influenced  and  vitiated 
Christianity, —  a  taint  which  may  only  be  eliminated 
with  great  difficulty.  On  this  head,  permit  me  to  quote 
briefly  from  The  Doctrine  of  Religion,  by  Fichte,  I  will 
read  from  pages  405,  406  and  407  : 

"  Religion  does  not  consist  in  that  wherein  it  is  placed  by  the 
common  mode  of  thought,— namely  in  this  :  that  man  should 
believe,  be  of  opinion,  and  rest  satisfied,  because  no  one  has  the 
hardihood  to  assert  the  opposite, — his  belief  resting  wholly  on 
hearsay  and  outward  assurance,— that  there  is  a  God  :— this  is  a 
vulgar  superstition  by  which,  at  most,  a  defective  police  system 
may  be  remedied,  while  the  inward  nature  of  man  remains  as 
bad  as  before,  and  indeed  frequently  is  made  worse,  since  he 
forms  this  God  after  his  own  image,  and  in  him  only  manufac- 
tures a  new  prop  for  his  own  corruption.  But  herein  Religion 
does  consist,  that  man  in  his  own  person  and  not  in  that  of 
another,  with  his  own  spiritual  eye  and  not  through  that  of 
another,  should  immediately  Ijehold,  have,  and  possess  God. 

"  It  is  clear,  therefore,  that  every  oue  who  does  not  wish  to 
return  to  the  ancient  times  of  Heathendom  must  admit  not  only 
the  possibility,  but  the  irremissible  duty,  of  communicating  to 


45^  Let  There  Be  Light 

men  the  profoundest  principles  of  knowledge  in  a  generally 
comprehensible  form.     .     . 

"That  which  follows  most  decisively  from  all  these  consider- 
ations is  the  duty  incumbent  upon  every  man  who  is  penetrated 
by  this  higher  knowledge  to  exert  all  his  powers  to  communi- 
cate that  knowledge,  wherever  possible,  to  the  whole  brother- 
hood of  humanity  ;  presenting  it  to  each  individual  in  that  form 
in  which  he  is  most  open  to  its  reception." 

There  was  a  time  in  the  hi.story  of  civilisation  when 
scholars  and  right-seeing  men  began  to  appear,  and 
to  cry  out  against  the  idolatrous  phases  in  Christianity. 

Btit  Milton  and  Dante  came,  and  with  soothing  idola- 
trous poetic  music  lulled  the  teachers  into  a  sleep  from 
which  they  have  not  yet  awakened.  And  as  mice  are 
emboldened  to  come  forth  when  the  vigilant  eye  of  the 
cat  is  closed  in  slumber,  so  do  mischievous  rabbis, 
priests  and  ministers  come  forth  and  relate  idolatrous 
tales  of  doings  in  Heaven  —  tales  for  which  the  only 
warrant  lies  in  similar  tales  by  similar  men  who  lived 
in  times  even  more  crnel  and  selfish  than  the  present. 

Heredity  and  environment,  indeed,  make  these  tales 
acceptable  to  the  people  ;  nor  can  they  now  be  easily 
turned  from  their  course,  for  it  seems  to  them  both  pleas- 
ing and  natural.  Nevertheless,  there  is  not  a  force  of 
evil  in  all  the  world  that  is  more  to  be  dreaded  than  this 
seemingly  harmless  and  edifying  Heaven-speculation. 

Jesus  was,  indeed,  a  Messiah,  a  Saviour,  a  revered 
teacher,  a  regenerator  ;  btit  He  taught  what  ?  What 
but  how  we  shotild  live  on  earth,  not  that  we  should 
speculate  as  to  what  is  going  on  in  Heaven  ?  So  long 
as  Heaven-speculators  are  permitted  to  occupy  the  pul- 
pit in  synagogue,  church  or  mosque,  so  long  will  there 
follow  as  a  direct  outcome  many  and  grievous  evils. 

These  Heaven-speculators  plough  the  heavenly  field 


The  New  Faith  459 

with  the  plough  of  idolatry,  they  harrow  it  with  the  har- 
row of  impudent  audacity,  and  they  seed  it  with  arrogant 
assumption.  And  mark  the  crops  that  are  harvested ! 
Fools  in  plenty,  hypocrites  abundant,  haters  and  sepa- 
rators in  rank  luxuriance  ;  beside  these  are  the  sceptics, 
the  atheists,  the  pessimists,  all  in  goodly  number;  and, 
in  a  remote  corner,  the  few,  the  very  few,  good  souls  — 
and  even  they  hardly  stand  the  test  that  Heaven  de- 
mands for  acceptance.  It  is  this  Heaven-mongering, 
this  Heaven-speculating,  this  creed  and  dogma  postu- 
lating, which  is  directly  responsible  for  the  spirit  of 
bigotr}',  intolerance,  hatred  and  cruelty.  Such  things 
were  not  taught  by  Jesus  ;  therefore,  Jesus  could  never 
have  taught  what  these  false  teachers  do.  Jesus  taught 
simple  monotheism;  but  these  false  teachers  teach  poly- 
theism, paganism,  heathenism,  idolatry.  And  idolatry 
is  but  another  name  for  error,  selfishness  and  cruelty. 

And  now,  I  wish  to  make  a  few  observations  on  the 
conclusions  of  our  honoured  friend,  Valanti.  He  asks 
us  to  forsake  the  several  conclusions  we  have  arrived 
at,  and  to  join  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  There 
was  a  time  in  the  history  of  the  world  when  such  an 
appeal  would  have  carried  with  it  reason  and  utilit\\ 
At  that  time,  Roman  Catholicism  was  a  great  bright 
fire  in  a  world  of  dense  darkness.  Roman  Catholicism 
was  then  a  factor,  a  worker,  an  arbiter,  a  doer.  Her 
light,  however,  was  not  permitted  to  throw  radiance  on 
progress.  She  limited  her  function  to  the  destruction 
of  the  old  order,  but  she  strenuously  prevented  the  up- 
building of  the  new.  In  doing  this,  she  committed  an 
luipardonable  offence  against  the  law  of  development. 
Tried  and  convicted  by  this  very  law,  she  has  been 
sentenced  :  sentenced  to  slow  and  sure  stagnation. 
Her  former  position  of  pre-eminence  is  now  gone.     She 


460  Let  There  Be  Light 

has  been  relegated  to  the  rear,  and  her  daj^s  are 
numbered. 

Does  this  church  still  feel  within  her  once  arrogant 
breast  a  desire,  a  hope,  to  rule  ?  Then,  in  the  name  of 
that  law  which  she  has  so  grossly  offended,  in  the  name 
of  the  law  of  development,  let  her  cast  off  the  grappling 
irons  of  reactionary  intrigue  by  which  she  still  clings  to 
the  rear  of  progress.  Let  her  cease  to  offend  against 
the  law  of  development.  Let  her  gather  all  her 
mental,  moral,  spiritual  and  social  mediaevalisms  to- 
gether, and  let  her  then,  with  all  her  remaining 
strength,  hurl  this  mass  into  the  ocean  of  oblivion. 
Then  let  her  advance  to  the  very  front  and,  seizing 
her  place  there,  let  her  help  pull  the  car  of  progress 
upward  toward  the  summit  of  development.  Scarce 
shall  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  have  done  all  this, 
when  she  will  again  be  crowned  Chief  Ruler  among 
the  nations,  and  her  rule  will  be  grander,  nobler  and 
mightier  than  ever  before. 

And  now,  my  dearl}'  beloved  friends,  take  heart  and 
courage.  We  are  but  few,  and  our  power  seems  insig- 
nificant; but  there  is  One  who,  if  He  is  on  our  side,  is 
mightier  than  all  earthly  rulers  and  all  earthly  power. 

Fear  not,  Init  speak  those  things  that  come  from  your 
hearts;  and  God,  knowing  the  heart,  shall  prosper  your 
work.  I  will  close  by  repeating  the  noble  words  of 
Pope  : 

"  Slave  to  no  sect,  who  takes  no  private  road, 
But  looks  throuj^h  nature  up  to  nature's  God ;     .     .     . 
Pursues  that  chain  which  links  th'  immense  design, 
Joins  heaven  and  earth,  and  mortal  and  divine  ; 
Sees  that  no  being  any  bliss  can  know, 
But  touches  some  above,  and  some  below  :    .     .     . 
And  knows  where  faith,  law,  morals,  all  began, 


The  New  Faith  461 

All  end,  in  love  of  God  ar.d  love  of  man. 
For  him  alone,  Hope  leads  from  goal  to  goal, 
And  opens  still,  and  opens  on  his  soul.     .     .     . 
Grasp  the  whole  world  of  reason,  life,  and  sense. 
In  one  close  S}stem  of  benevolence.     .     .     . 
Wide  and  more  wide,  th'  o'erflowings  of  the  mind 
Take  every  creature  in,  of  every  kind  ; 
Earth  smiles  around,  with  boundless  bounty  bless'd, 
And  heaven  beholds  its  image  in  his  breast." 

Mr.  Moore. — My  friends,  before  we  adjourn  I  wish, 
with  your  permis.sion,  to  say  a  few  words  to  our  hon- 
otired  fellow-inquirer,  Mr.  Valanti. 

That  he  has  not  yet  become  a  convert  to  otir  Faith  is 
true;  but  it  is  nevertheless  highly  probable  that  he  has 
not  been  altogether  uninfluenced  by  these  debates.  It 
may,  after  all,  be  possible  that,  with  more  reflection  on 
the  subject,  our  friend  will  in  the  end  see  this  matter  in 
the  light  in  which  it  appears  to  us. 

The  mind,  like  matter,  cannot  cease  its  motion  in  a 
given  direction  until  the  impelling  force  ceases  to  exert 
its  influence  in  that  direction.  And  even  when  this  in- 
fluence has  ceased,  there  is  still  some  motion  caused  by 
the  momentum  originall}'  imparted.  I  can  well  under- 
stand that,  had  there  been  no  Reformation,  no  Protest- 
antism, it  would  most  likely  have  been  as  difficult  for 
us  to  consider  favourably  the  faith  we  have  adopted  as 
it  seems  to  be  for  our  friend  Valanti.  Protestantism 
seems,  therefore,  to  be  a  stepping-stone  toward  the 
higher  faith. 

The  opinions  of  our  friend  concerning  his  church 
seem  to  be  derived  from  a  limited  and  confined  field  of 
vision.  lyike  Cardinal  Richelieu  in  the  plaj-,  he  seems 
to  mark  a  circle  around  himself,  calling  it  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church.     He  then  concludes  that  all  within 


4^2  Let  There  Be  Light 

that  circle  is  good,  and  all  without  is  bad.  Thus  does 
he  venerate  with  filial  affection  a  thing  of  his  own  crea- 
tion. Yet,  if  God  be  not  in  that  circle,  and  if  the  soul 
of  that  church  be  not  sustained  by  and  grounded  on 
universal  law,  then  is  he  performing  nothing  less  than 
an  act  of  idolatry. 

Is  the  Romish  Church  grounded  on  universal  law, 
and  is  the  absolute,  infinite  God  within  its  circum- 
ference ?  If  we  were  to  judge  by  the  opinions  of  the 
free  and  enlightened  of  the  world,  we  should  receive  an 
almost  unanimous  answer  in  the  negative.  And  who 
is  responsible  for  those  opinions  ?  No  one  but  this 
church  herself.  She  it  was  that  reprobated  criticism 
of  herself  ;  criticism  which,  being  freely  permitted  in 
the  Protestant  churches,  rendered  those  churches  more 
progressive,  and  therefore  better  qualified  as  factors  of 
progress. 

While  the  Protestant  churches  zealously  sought  to 
inculcate  a  love  for  God,  the  Roman  Catholic  Church 
zealously  sought  to  inculcate  a  love  for  the  Church. 
In  reprobating  criticism  on  the  one  hand,  and  in  incul- 
cating an  vinquestioning  love  for  herself  on  the  other, 
the  Catholic  Church  thereby  excluded  the  essential  ele- 
ment of  being  in  harmony  with  the  law  of  development; 
for  she  excluded  development. 

Roman  Catholicism  has  done  in  religion  what  abso- 
lutism does  in  government.  Both  reprobate  criticism, 
both  enforce  an  unquestioned  acquiescence  in  their  au- 
thority, and  both  stimulate  veneration  for  their  institu- 
tions. And  these  institutions  persist;  but  when  ?  Only 
when  the  law  of  development  is  arrested  or  is  forced 
out  of  existence  within  their  territory.  What  purpose 
do  these  institutions  serve  by  their  persistence  ?  What 
are  they   but   reactionary  forces, —  forces  that   retard 


The  New  Faith  463 

amelioration  ?  And  if  the  law  of  development  is  a  law- 
universal,  if  it  is  God's  law,  are  not  such  institutions 
contrary  to  universal  law,  are  they  not  contrary  to 
God? 

What,  then,  is  criticism  but  protestation  against  error 
and  against  stagnation  ?  It  serves  the  same  purpose  in 
social  life  that  salt  serves  in  the  ocean.  What  is, 
therefore,  more  bound  to  invigorate  an  institution, 
whether  religious  or  political,  than  criticism  ? 

Yet  more  than  this  :  An  institution  may  be  said  to 
live  at  all  only  when  it  lives  through  free  criticism. 
Criticism  is  its  life,  its  soul,  its  warrant  and  its  authority 
for  living.  And  criticism  involves  the  unhampered 
right  of  protestation. 

Protestation  is,  therefore,  a  law  of  development,  a 
law  of  God.  Abraham  was  a  protestant  against  the 
established  belief  of  Chaldea. 

Moses  was  a  protestant  against  the  belief  of  Egypt. 
The  Jewish  nation  was  a  protestant  against  idolatry. 
Jesus  was  a  protestant  against  the  formalities  in  the 
Jewish  Church. 

Paul  was  a  protestant  against  the  formalisms  of  the 
early  Christian  Church  at  Jerusalem,  Roman  Catholi- 
cism was  a  protestation  against  the  paganism  of  ancient 
Rome.  Luther  protested  against  the  evils  which  in  his 
day  existed  in  the  Catholic  Church  ;  and  to-night  we 
have  protested  against  the  idolatrous  phases  which 
exist  in  any  and  all  religions.  Is  not  all  this  protestation 
in  accord  with  the  law  of  development,  and  in  harmony 
with  the  will  of  God  ? 

When  men  part  with  evil,  do  they  trouble  to  regain 
it  ?  When  they  gain  what  is  good,  do  they  not  rejoice  ? 
What  then  have  we  lost  in  accepting  this  New  Faith  ? 
What  but  idolatry  and  retrogression  ?     And  what  have 


464  Let  There  Be  Light 

we  gained  ?  What  but  the  true  Faith,  and  the  path  to- 
ward progress. 

Have  I,  in  accepting  this,  to  me,  new  Faith,  lost  my 
Presbyterianism  ?  Have  I  not,  on  the  contrary,  re- 
tained my  Presbyterianism  in  a  purified  form  ?  Nor  is 
this  all:  for  I  have,  in  addition,  gained  all  that  is  good 
in  Methodism,  in  Episcopalian  ism,  in  Baptism,  in  Uni- 
tarianism,  in  Judaism,  in  Roman  Catholicism,  in  Mo- 
hammedanism, in  Brahminism,  in  Buddhism  and  in 
Confucianism. 

And  beyond  and  above  all  this,  will  not  the  cardinal 
feature  of  our  New  Faith  teach  us  all  how  we  may  de- 
velop the  eye,  ear  and  mind  so  as  to  awaken  the  spirit 
within  us  ?  Will  this  not  bring  us  nearer  to  God  ?  Will 
this  not  bring  us  in  closer  sympathy  with  our  fellow- 
man  ?  Do  you  then  fear,  my  friend,  that  in  accepting 
this  Faith  you  will  lose  Catholicism  ?  Will  not  this 
Faith,  on  the  contrary,  build  up  Catholicism  ?  Will  it 
not  tend  to  up-build  it  among  all  races,  among  all  peo- 
ples ?  Will  it  not  tend  to  elevate,  to  ameliorate  and  to 
harmonise  ?  Come,  therefore,  come  over  to  us.  Come, 
O  my  friend,  come  and  strengthen  our  hands!  Your 
coming  will  gladden  our  hearts  and  intensify  our  cour- 
age. And  yet,  after  all  that  has  been  said,  if  there  be 
any  prompting  within  you  to  withhold  your  coming  at 
this  time,  I  would  not  have  your  friendship  for  us 
sway  you.  A  man  should,  in  coming  over  as  a  convert 
to  our  Faith,  be  swaj'ed  by  conviction  of  the  truth  and 
virtue  of  that  Faith.  Otherwise  would  he  not  be  ac- 
ceptable in  the  sight  of  God.  Are  you,  then,  now 
convinced  ? 

Mr.  \''alanti. — -My  friend,  almost  hast  thou  persuaded 
me.  But  as  the  salvation  of  my  soul  stands  in  jeopardy 
if  I    decide    erroneously,    I    will    take   more   time  for 


The  New  Faith  465 

consideration,  and  I  pray  God  that  He  may  enlighten 
me  in  this  matter. 

Miss  Seine?'.— My  Brother,  my  Sister  and  my  Breth- 
ren, let  us  pray  : 

Praised  be  Thou,  Gracious  and  Sovereign  Lord. 

Thou  who  art  the  source  of  all, 

Thou  who  art  without  beginning  and  without  end  ; 

Thou  who  knowest  not  Injustice, 

And  withholdest  not  Mercy. 

Thou  only  Entity  ! 

Thou  Archetype  of  Beauty, 

Thou  true  Spiritual  Harmony  ! 

All-Father, 

Our  Father. 

Infinite  Love  and  Loveliness, 

God. 

To  Thee  do  we  humbly  and  reverently  raise  our  voices 
in  prayer. 

We  come  to  Thee  for  Light,  for  Spiritual  Light, 

Which  shall  illumine  our  souls. 

We  come  to  Thee  for  guidance,  for  Thy  help  to  keep  us 

Steadfast  in  the  course  which  Thou  wouldst  have  us 
follow. 

Efface  from  our  hearts,  O  God,  any  trace  of  enmity, 
any  cause  of  dissension. 

Erase  from  our   minds   the   dividing  lines  which  we, 
through  ignorance,  have  placed  there. 

Teach  us  to  remember  that  White  Men,  Black  Men  and 
Yellow  Men  are  alike  Thy  children. 

Teach  us  to  know  that  all  these  are  our  brethren  and 
our  neighbours. 

And  teach  us,  O  Gracious  Father,  to  love  our  neigh- 
bours as  ourselves. 
30 


466 


Let  There  Be  Light 


Teach  us  how  we  may  learn 
To  know  Thee  through  Thy  Works  and 
Through  Thy  Laws,  in  order  that  we  may  be 
Freed  from  all  traces  of  idolatry. 
Grant  this,  our  prayer  and  our  petition, 
And,  in  Thy  gracious  mercy,  grant  this  to  all  mankind. 

Amen. 


CHAPTER  LIII 


SPIRITUAL   INFLUENCE 


M 


Y  uncle,  before  sailing  for  England,  had  executed 
a  power  of  attorney  to  me,  under  which  I  had 
acted,  though  hitherto  only  in  routine  matters.  On  the 
morning  after  the  meeting  reported  in  the  last  chapter, 
however,  I  received  a  telegram  which  necessitated 
unusual  efforts  on  my  part  in  his  behalf. 

Among  my  uncle's  investments  was  an  important 
holding  of  stock  in  a  packing  corporation  in  Chicago. 
In  fact,  he,  with  Stanton  and  Hill  of  that  city,  repre- 
sented a  majority  of -the  stock  and  controlled  the 
management  of  the  corporation.  The  telegram  in- 
formed me  that  complications  had  arisen  through  the 
manipulations  of  a  number  of  stockholders  ;  that  a 
meeting  had  been  called,  and  that  unless  my  uncle's  in- 
terests were  represented  there  was  danger  that  the 
management  would  be  transferred  into  incompetent 
hands.  Accordingly,  I  had  no  alternative  but  to  leave 
at  once  for  Chicago  ;  and  Dorothy  insisted  upon  ac- 
companying me,  although  I  tried  my  best  to  dissuade 
her. 

Once  in  Chicago,  we  found  it  impossible  to  return 
immediately.      The  stockholders'  meeting  took  place, 

467 


468  Let  There  Be  Light 

and  an  adjournment  was  secured.  During  the  interval 
between  the  two  meetings  I,  acting  in  conjunction  with 
Stanton  and  Hill,  investigated  the  affairs  of  the  corpora- 
tion ;  and  day  after  day  passed  in  which  those  affairs 
engrossed  my  time.  Finally,  the  adjourned  meeting 
was  held,  the  various  questions  were  settled  in  a  way 
that  I  deemed  satisfactory,  and  we  were  free  to  leave 
for  home. 

We  reached  New  York  early  in  the  morning  of  the 
13th  of  October,  and  proceeded  at  once  to  my  uncle's 
house.  There  disconcerting  news  awaited  us.  A  cable 
despatch  had  just  been  received  which  read  as  follows  : 

"  Rome,  October  11,  1899. 
"  Husband  ill  with  Roman  fever.     Expresses  strong  desire  to 
see  you  immediately  ;  cable  reply. 

"  Aunt  Barbara." 

"  What  shall  we  do,  Dorothy  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Go  at  once,"  she  replied. 

I  hurried  from  the  house,  succeeded  in  securing 
passage  for  my  wife  and  m5'self  on  a  steamer  that  was 
to  sail  for  Southampton  on  the  following  day,  Satur- 
day, October  14th,  cabled  my  aunt  to  that  effect,  and 
returned  home. 

I  found  Doroth)'  seated  at  the  librarj'  table.  Before 
her  lay  a  pile  of  letters,  apparently  unopened.  She 
held  in  her  hand  a  paper,  at  which  she  was  gazing 
fixedl}',  though  without  seeming  to  read.  As  I  entered 
the  room,  she  turned  toward  me,  and  I  was  surprised 
and  alarmed  at  her  expression. 

"  Dorothy,  what  is  it  ?  "  I  exclaimed. 

She  tried  to  speak,  but  her  effort  ended  in  a  sob. 
So,  handing  me  the  paper  which  she  held,  she  pressed 


Spiritual  Influence  469 

her  handkerchief  to  her  eyes  and  was  silent.     I  took 
the  paper  and  read  : 

"  New  York,  September  29,  1899. 
"  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morton, 

"My  fellow-believers  in  the  Faith:  As  you  may  have  been 
informed,  Ezra  is  no  more  with  us  in  the  flesh  ;  he  was  buried 
yesterday.  He  expressed  a  wish  to  see  you  both  before  he 
died,  so  I  came  up  to  yotir  house,  and  was  there  told  that  urgent 
business  had  called  you  away  from  the  city. 

"Believing  that  you  would  be  interested  in  these  details,  I 
note  them  down.  The  excitement  and  over-exertion  at  the  last 
debate  no  doubt  hastened  the  termination  of  his  life.  On  reach- 
ing home  he  had  several  hemorrhages,  and  began  sinking  rap- 
idly. The  next  day  he  asked  that  his  sister  and  Mr.  Fisher 
come  to  his  bedside.  They  did  so,  in  the  presence  of  all  the 
Believers.  Thereupon  Ezra,  placing  one  hand  on  the  head  of 
his  sister,  and  the  other  on  the  head  of  Mr.  Fisher,  as  both  were 
kneeling  at  the  side  of  the  bed,  blessed  them.  He  then  begged 
the  Believers  to  appoint  Mr.  Fisher  as  the  head  of  the  new 
Church.  When  all  this  had  been  done,  he  said,  '  And  now  I  am 
happy.'  Seeing  his  sister  weeping,  he  called  her  over  and  said, 
'  You  are  not  to  weep,  my  beloved  sister  :  you  are  to  be  joA'ful  in 
your  Faith.  I  need  no  mourners,  for  the  God  of  Righteousness 
cannot  be  offended  with  me  for  that  which  I  have  said  concern- 
ing His  worship.  And  if  we  have  not  offended  God,  we  need 
have  no  fear  of  death.' 

"He  suffered  considerably,  but  bore  it  all  with  a  cheerful 
countenance.  He  exhorted  the  Believers  to  remain  steadfast  to 
the  last.  Toward  the  end  of  the  week  he  rallied  somewhat,  but 
on  Monday  morning  he  was  quite  low.  At  about  seven  in  the 
evening,  he  motioned  that  all  should  assemble  around  the  bed, 
and,  when  all  the  Believers  were  grouped  around  him,  he  said, 
'  Receive  now  my  last  words  on  earth  :  Be  steadfast  for  The 
Faith,  and  may  you  so  labour  that  you  may  deserve  the  guid- 
ance of  God  and  the  approval  of  man.' 

"At  this  time  Mr.  Valanti  went  over  to  the  bed  and,  kneel- 
ing, kissed  the  baud  of  Ezra  reverently,  and  said  to  him,  'My 
brother,  my  Ezra,  I  am  become  a  Believer.     I  now  believe.' 


470  Let  There  Be  Light 

"'God  be  tbanked  for  this  which  you  have  told  me,'  said 
Ezra. 

"Then,  arousing  himself,  as  for  a  last  effort,  he  said,  'And 
now,  my  dearly  beloved  sister,  and  my  dearly  beloved  brethren, 
I  bid  you  farewell ;  and  that  we  may  meet  again  is  my  last 
prayer.' 

"  He  sank  down  on  the  bed  exhausted.  He  lay  there  quietly 
for  a  few  moments  ;  then,  raising  his  right  arm,  he  said,  '  Stead- 
fast ! '  When  we  went  near  him,  we  perceived  his  spirit  had 
flown. 

"  Would  that  God  had  taken  me  instead  !     Of  all  those  that 
will  miss  him  on  earth,  no  one  will  feel,  can  feel,  his  loss  more 
than  I,  the  black  man,  the  negro.     But  he  is  not  gone,  he  is  in. 
my  heart  ;  there  he  lives,  and  there  he  shall  live  so  long  as  my 
will  remains  subject  to  my  soul. 

"  And  now  I  will  close,  praying  to  God  that  you  are  '  Stead- 
fast,' which  word  we  have  adopted  to  close  our  prayers,  before 
the  word  '  Amen.' 

"With  sincerity  and  fidelity,  and  in  the  love  of  God, 
"Your  fellow-believer, 

"  Thomas  Quaii,." 

"  He  lives  !  "  repeated  Dorothy  absently,  as  though 
echoing  the  words. 

"  Yes,"  I  said:  "  he  lives  in  5'our  heart,  and  in  mine, 
and  in  the  hearts  of  all  those  who  have  been  enlightened 
by  his  noble  teaching.  Ezra  lives,  and  shall  live  for- 
ever. To  him  God  entrusted  the  planting  of  the  seed 
which  shall  take  root,  to  grow  and  to  be  a  blessing  for 
all  the  world." 

"  But  how  cruel  of  us,"  exclaimed  my  wife,  "  never 
even  to  have  inquired  about  him  since  we  saw  him  last! 
I  should  like  to  see  Eva, — I  have  so  much  to  say  to  her! 
I  wish  you  would  ask  her  to  call  here  this  afternoon. 
And,  Joseph,  go  and  visit  our  brethren  in  faith.  Let 
us  comfort  them,  and  render  them  whatever  help  we 
can." 


Spiritual  Influence  471 

"Yes,  Dorothy,"  I  replied.  "I  will  go.  And  I 
will  see  that  Miss  Seiner  is  informed  of  our  plans,  so 
that  you  can  see  her  before  our  departure." 

I  left  without  further  delay,  and  took  the  car  down- 
town. It  was  past  the  noon  hour  when  I  reached  the 
shop  where  Mr.  Quail  was  employed.  He  was  at  work, 
but  on  receiving  my  name  came  out  to  see  me.  Our 
greetings  were  cordial,  and  for  some  moments  he  was 
occupied  in  answering  my  questions.  I  informed  him 
of  our  sudden  departure  for  Europe,  and  asked  him  if 
he  could  conveniently  deliver  my  wife's  message  to  Miss 
Seiner,  as  our  own  time  was  limited,  and  was  likely  to 
be  largely  consumed  in  preparations  for  the  journey. 
He  readily  agreed  to  do  so  at  once,  and  volunteered 
also  to  notify  the  Believers  of  our  plans.  Then  I  con- 
tinued : 

"  What  in  your  opinion  ought  to  be  done  to  build  up 
the  Church?" 

"  Only  one  thing  can  be  done  at  this  time,"  he  re- 
plied, "  and  that  is,  to  use  our  best  efforts  toward  gain- 
ing converts. ' ' 

' '  How  are  the  brethren  succeeding  in  this  direction  ? ' ' 

"  Slowly.  You  know  how  hard  it  was  to  make  con- 
verts of  us,  and  yet  we  had  Ezra  for  missionary;  so  we 
must  be  contented  to  make  progress  slowly." 

' '  What  do  you  think  of  building  a  church  and  admit- 
ting the  people  free  to  hear  the  new  doctrine  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  think  that  would  do  at  all  ;  for,  in  the 
first  place,  the  believers  are  not  nearly  numerous  enough 
to  fill  a  church  ;  and,  besides,  we  have  at  present  no 
one  competent  to  conduct  the  services  for  public  wor- 
ship in  a  church.  We  have  unanimously  chosen  Mr. 
Fisher  to  be  the  successor  of  Ezra,  and  he  conducts 
services  for  us  in  Mr,  Bradley's  house." 


472  Let  There  Be  Light 

I  took  leave  of  Mr.  Quail,  and  walked  away,  think- 
ing seriousl}'  on  his  replies.  What  had  I  done  for  the 
Church  ?  What  should  I  do  ?  What  could  I  do  ?  An 
idea  occurred  to  me,  and  for  some  time  I  walked  on, 
considering  it.  Then,  having  determined  my  course,  I 
again  took  a  car,  and  proceeded  to  the  factory  where 
Mr.  Fisher  was  employed.  There  I  entered  the  office 
and  inquired  for  the  proprietor.  An  elderly  gentleman 
of  thoughtful  appearance  presented  himself,  and  I 
handed  him  my  card,  remarking  that  I  desired  a  short 
interview  with  him  on  a  business  matter. 

I  followed  him  into  his  private  office,  and  began  : 

"  I  should  like  some  information  concerning  3'our 
business.  And,  in  order  that  j^ou  may  understand  my 
request,  let  me  state  that  I  am  to  leave  for  Europe  to- 
morrow morning,  and  that  before  I  leave,  if  satisfactory 
arrangements  can  be  made,  I  should  like  to  invest  with 
your  firm  a  sum  of  money  which,  according  to  your 
average  net  earnings  during  the  past  five  years,  would 
be  equal  to  an  income  of,  say,  $2500  per  year." 

"  But  we  do  not  need  any  such  investment,"  he  re- 
plied. "  We  have  no  interests  for  sale."  Then,  after 
a  slight  pause,  "  Are  j-ou  in  this  line  of  business  ?  " 

"  No,  I  am  in  no  business.  I  did  not  desire  the  inter- 
est for  myself.  I  wished  to  procure  it  in  my  name  for 
the  purpose  of  having  you  turn  over  the  income  to 
someone  else, —  an  employe  of  yours." 

"  An  employe  of  mine  !  "  he  exclaimed  in  surprise. 
"  Who  can  he  be?" 

"Mr.  Fisher." 

"  Why,  that  is  strange  !  " 

"  It  may  seem  strange,"  I  remarked  ;  "  but  I  have 
some  personal  reasons  for  desiring  such  an  arrange- 
ment." 


Spiritual  Influence  473 

' '  You  misunderstand  the  cause  of  my  surprise, ' '  he 
replied.  "  The  fact  is,  my  partner  and  I  are  so  far  ad- 
vanced in  life  that  we  think  seriously  of  devoting  less 
time  and  energy  to  business  than  we  are  now  compelled 
to  devote.  We  have  been  considering  favourably  a 
plan  of  incorporation  ;  and  we  have  had  some  employes 
in  mind  to  whom  we  desired  to  give  interests  in  the 
shape  of  certain  shares,  to  be  paid  for  out  of  their 
earnings.  Fisher  was  one  of  the  men  we  had  in 
view. ' ' 

"  And  have  you  changed  your  mind  ?  " 

"  Well,  yes,"  he  answered.  "  We  had  originally  an 
opinion  that  this  man  Fisher  was  a  labour  agitator,  and 
at  one  time  we  were  about  to  discharge  him ;  but,  to  our 
surprise,  he  suddenly  dropped  his  agitations  and  devel- 
oped into  a  most  skilful  and  conscientious  workman. 
He  became  of  value  to  us,  and  we  advanced  him  from 
$iS  to  $25  per  week.  A  short  time  ago  we  were  on  the 
point  of  notifying  him  that  we  would  admit  him  into 
the  proposed  corporation,  when  he  again  relapsed  into 
his  old  habits." 

"  How  do  you  know  that  he  has  relapsed  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Because  for  the  past  few  weeks  he  has  seemed 
absent-minded,  and  has  not  been  at  work  regularly. 
He  was  away  almost  an  entire  week, —  in  fact,  he  is 
away  to-day. ' ' 

"  But,"  I  observed,  "  from  what  I  know  of  the  case, 
I  believe  you  are  doing  him  a  great  injustice.  He  has 
been  absent  because  he  has  been  in  attendance  on  a 
friend,  to  whom  he  was  very  much  attached,  and  who 
died  a  few  days  ago." 

"  Well,  well  !  "  was  the  reply.  "  Then  I  must  have 
been  mistaken,  and  have  done  Fisher  an  injustice." 

"  How  many  shares  did  you  propose  to  put  aside  for 


474  Let  There  Be  Light 

Mr.  Fisher,"  I  inquired  ;  "  and  what  were  the  shares 
equal  to  in  dividends  ?  " 

"  Ten  shares  of  $1000  each  ;  equal,  when  based  on 
the  average  of  the  past  five  years,  to  an  income  of 
$1200  a  year.  This  would  have  about  doubled  his 
income." 

I  then  proposed  Fisher's  admission  to  the  corporation, 
and  offered  to  subscribe  for  ten  additional  shares  on  con- 
dition that  the  dividends  should  go  to  Fisher. 

' '  I  shall  have  to  talk  the  matter  over, ' '  replied  the 
manufacturer. 

"Will  it  be  possible,"  I  asked,  "  for  you  to  do  so 
now,  while  I  wait  ?  Every  moment  of  my  time  is 
valuable." 

"  I  will  try  to  be  as  brief  as  possible  ;  and  in  the 
meantime  you  may  see  our  books,  and  I  refer  you  to 
the  Bank  of  America." 

He  proceeded  into  another  room  to  consult  his  part- 
ner. I  took  the  opportunity  to  go  out  to  an  adjacent 
telephone  station,  where  I  called  up  the  Bank  of 
America,  and  inquired  as  to  the  standing  of  the  concern. 

' '  We  believe  them  to  be  honest,  straightforward 
people, ' '  said  the  president. 

"  Would  you  deem  it  safe  to  invest  $10,000  with 
them  ?  "  I  asked. 

*'  Yes,"  he  replied. 

On  my  return  I  found  the  partners  still  consulting. 
When  they  saw  me  they  arose,  and  the  gentleman  who 
had  first  spoken  to  me  said,  "  We  have  concluded  to 
accept  your  offer." 

"  Very  well,"  I  replied.  "  And  now,  if  one  of  j'-ou 
will  come  with  me  to  my  lawyer's,  I  will  place  the 
matter  in  his  hands."  And  in  an  hour  or  so  all  was 
Satisfactorily  arranged. 


Spiritual  Influence 


475 


As  I  reached  our  house,  I  met  Dorothy  descending 
the  steps. 

"  Where  are  you  going  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  I  don't  know — just  for  a  short  walk.  I  was  too 
restless  to  stay  in-doors  any  longer." 

I  turned  and  accompanied  her  ;  and  as  we  walked  I 
told  her  what  I  had  done  for  Fisher. 

She  smiled  with  pleasure.  "  I  am  glad  you  did  that, 
Joseph, ' '  she  said.  And  with  that  she  slipped  her  hand 
into  my  arm,  and  we  walked  on  in  silence. 


CHAPTER  LIV 


THE   HOUSE  OF   ASSEMBLY 


THAT  evening  my  wife  and  I  started  early  for  Mr. 
Bradley's  bouse,  to  attend  the  meeting  which  Miss 
Seiner  had  arranged,  as  the  reader  has  already  been 
informed  in  the  opening  chapter  of  this  book.  We  were 
pleasantly  greeted  by  Mrs.  Bradley,  who  conducted  us 
to  the  meeting- room.  There  we  found  all  the  Believers 
assembled.  They  saluted  us  warmly,  and  presented  to 
us  the  following  new  converts  :  Mr.  Schubert,  Mr. 
Winslow,  Mr.  Cohen,  Mrs.  Eldridge,  Mr.  Douglas,  a 
coloured  man,  and  Mr.  Okayama,  a  Japanese  ;  six 
additional  Believers,  besides  Mrs.  Bradley,  of  whose 
conversion  we  had  learned  at  the  last  meeting,  and  Mr. 
Valanti,  whose  adoption  of  the  Faith  had  been  com- 
municated to  us  in  Mr.  Quail's  letter. 

The  meeting-room  was  tastefully  decorated,  and  ar- 
ranged to  accord  with  the  theme  of  the  new  Church. 
On  a  platform,  facing  the  assembly,  was  a  small  table 
containing  earth,  water  and  a  plant.  This  was  faced 
by  a  wood  carving,  of  an  ornate  and  beautiful  design, 
on  which  appeared,  carved,  the  words, 

"  House  of  Assembly.     Church  Universal." 
On  the  mantel-shelf  was  a  picture  of  Ezra,  decorated 
476 


The  House  of  Assembly  477 

with  leaves  and  flowers.  Below  the  picture,  and 
enclosed  within  the  same  frame,  were  engrossed  the 
following  lines  by  Longfellow  : 

"  Thougti  to  all  there  is  not  given 

Strength  for  such  sublime  endeavour, 
Thus  to  scale  the  walls  of  heaven, 
And  to  leaven  with  fiery  leaven 
All  the  hearts  of  men  forever; 

"  Yet  all  bards,  whose  hearts  un blighted 

Honour  and  believe  the  presage. 
Hold  aloft  their  torches  lighted. 
Gleaming  through  the  realms  benighted, 

As  they  onward  bear  the  message  !  " 

When  all  were  seated,  Mr.  Bradley,  calling  Walter 
and  Alice  to  the  platform  and  addressing  them,  said  : 

Bradley. — Tell  me  what  you  know  about  the  New 
Faith. 

Walter.  — The  New  Faith  is  better  than  that  in  which 
I  used  to  believe,  because  I  now  learn  to  see  and  hear. 

Bradley. — Did  you  not  see  and  hear  before  you  heard 
of  the  New  Faith  ? 

Walter. — Yes,  sir,  but  I  saw  and  heard  as  animals 
do,  and  I  used  to  think  that  God  was  great  because  He 
did  miracles  in  olden  times. 

Bradley. — Is  it  wrong  to  think  in  that  way  ? 

Alice. — Yes,  for  it  is  like  believing  in  idols,  and  that 
is  wicked. 

Bradley. — Why  is  it  wicked  ? 

Walter. — Because  believing  in  idols  is  wrong  think- 
ing of  God. 

Bradley. — What  does  wrong  thinking  of  God  lead  to  ? 

Alice. — It  leads  to  wrong  thinking  about  ourselves. 

Bradley. — What  does  wrong  thinking  about  ourselves 
lead  to  ? 


47^  Let  There  Be  Light 

Walter.  —It  leads  to  wrong  doing  to  other  people. 

Bradley. — What  does  right  thinking  about  God  do  ? 

Walter. — It  shows  us  that  God  does  not  do  miracles, 
but  that  God  is  wise  ;  that  He  only  does  what  is  right. 

Bradley. — What  else  does  it  show  us  ? 

Alice. — That  He  loves  us,  and  that  He  is  beautiful. 

Bradley. — What  else  does  it  do  ? 

Walter. — It  teaches  right  thinking  about  ourselves, 
and  right  doing  to  other  people. 

Bradley. — If  a  boy  believes  all  this,  what  good  will  it 
do  him  ? 

Jl^alter. — It  will  not  let  him  believe  in  idols,  and  he 
will  love  God  and  be  kind  to  people  and  to  animals. 

Bradley. — How  may  we  learn  all  this  ? 

Alice. — By  learning  to  see  and  learning  to  hear  and 
learning  to  think. 

Bradley. — How  should  we  learn  ? 
Walter. — By  asking  questions  of  earth,  water  and 
plants. 

Bradley.— S^hy  ? 

Alice. — Because  these  things  are  God's  works,  and 
they  will  teach  us  the  truth  about  God. 

Bradley. — Why  do  we  wear  leaves  and  flowers  on  our 
heads  in  church  and  at  home  when  we  pray  ? 

Walter. — Because  they  tell  us  very  quickly  what  God 
is,  and  we  put  them  on  our  heads  as  a  sign  that  we 
know  it. 

Bradley. — Is  there  any  other  reason  ? 

Alice. — Yes,  we  put  them  on  to  show  God  that  we 
love  Him. 

Bradley. — Is  there  any  other  reason  ? 
1  flatter. — Yes,  to  show  other  people  that  when  we 
love  God  we  also  love  them,  and  that  we  are  to  be  kind 
to  all  living  things. 


The  House  of  Assembly  479 

"  And  now,"  added  Mr.  Bradley,  "  we  will  close  the 
exercises  by  singing  Hymn  64,  to  the  tune  of  Azcld 
Lang  Syne.^' 

Hymn  books  were  passed  among  us,  and  all  joined 
in  singing,  to  the  familiar  tune,  the  beautiful  words  of 
Heber  : 

"  There  's  not  a  tint  that  paints  the  rose, 
Or  decks  the  lily  fair, 
Or  streaks  the  humblest  flower  that  grows, 
But  God  has  placed  it  there. 

"  There  's  not  of  grass  a  single  blade, 
Or  leaf  of  loveliest  green. 
Where  heavenly  skill  is  not  displayed 
And  heavenly  wisdom  seen. 

"  There  's  not  a  star  whose  twinkling  light 
Illumes  the  spreading  earth, 
And  cheers  the  silent  gloom  of  night. 
But  mercy  gave  it  birth. 

"  There  's  not  a  place  on  earth's  vast  round, 
In  ocean  deep,  or  air. 
Where  skill  and  wisdom  are  net  found  : 
For  God  is  everywhere. 

"  Around,  beneath,  below,  above, 
Wherever  space  extends. 
There  God  displays  His  boundless  love, 
And  power  with  mercy  blends." 

' '  That  will  be  all  for  this  evening, ' '  said  Mr.  Bradley, 
as  he  kissed  the  children  good-night. 

Brother  Fisher  then  arose  and  said  :  "  My  friends, 
let  us  rise  in  silent  devotion  to  God,  and  in  reverent 
remembrance  of  our  dearly  beloved  brother,  absent  in 
the  flesh,  but  present  with  us  in  spirit." 


48o 


Let  There  Be  Light 


Brother  Moore  closed  the  silent  devotion  by  saying  : 
"  May  we  find  grace  in  the  sight  of  God,  so  that  He 
make  our  hearts,  our  minds  and  our  souls  steadfast  in 
our  Faith." 

And  all  the  Believers  responded,  "  Steadfast." 


CHAPTER  IvV 


THE  ENLARGEMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH 


AFTER  some  informal  conversation,  Brother  Bradley 
arose  and  said :  "It  seems  to  me  we  can  utilise  the 
evening  in  the  interest  of  the  Universal  Faith ;  and  that 
this  be  done  to  advantage,  I  suggest  that  there  be  a 
chairman  for  the  evening." 

"  Brother  Fisher,"  spoke  several  of  the  Believers, 
and  Brother  Bradle}^  then  said  :  "  It  has  been  moved 
and  seconded  that  Brother  Fisher  be  the  chairman  for 
the  evening.     What  is  your  pleasure  ?  " 

"  Question  "  having  been  called,  the  motion  was  put 
and  carried. 

Report  of  a  meeting  of  the  Believers,  at  the  house  of 
Mr.  Bradley,  New  York,  Oct.  13th,  8  p.m. 

Mr.  Fisher  in  the  chair. 

Morton. — Fellow-Believers,  Members  of  the  Church 
Universal :  My  wife  has  proposed  a  plan  for  the  enlarge- 
ment of  the  Church  ;  she  proposes  that  we  have  the  re- 
ports of  all  the  meetings  printed  in  book  form  for  general 
circulation.  I  add  that  I  have,  from  the  beginning, 
kept  a  record  of  the  incidents,  pertinent  to  the  subject, 
which  came  under  my  own  observation,  and  I  herewith 
tender  that  record  as  part  of  the  matter  for  publication. 
^  4S1 


4^2  Let  There  Be  Light 

Fisher. — What  is  the  pleasure  of  the  meeting  ? 

Quail. — In  order  to  bring  the  question  up  for  discus- 
sion, I  move  that  we  accept  the  suggestion. 

The  motion  was  seconded,  and  the  question  was  open 
for  discussion. 

Moore. — I  favour  the  idea;  but  I  think  that  before 
the  matter  is  published  it  should  be  revised.  I  refer  to 
eliminations.  There  are,  no  doubt,  many  things  that 
should  be  stricken  out. 

Quail. — I  am  inclined  to  think  there  are  some  things 
in  the  reports  that  would  tend  to  create  antagonism. 
Would  it  not  be  best  to  eliminate  all  such  ? 

Bradley. — I  do  not  think  so.  I  do  not  think  it  would 
be  fair  to  the  public  to  eliminate  anything. 

Winslow. — I  think  that  not  only  would  any  material 
eliminations  be  unfair  to  the  public,  but  that  such  a 
course  would  be  likely  to  destroy  in  part  the  value  of 
the  presentation. 

Cohen. — I  have  read  the  entire  report  several  times, 
and  I  agree  with  Brother  Bradley  and  with  Brother 
Winslow. 

Mrs.  Morton. — I  agree  with  the  opinions  last  ex- 
pressed. 

Moore. — I  withdraw  my  objections,  and  move  for  the 
adoption  of  the  proposition. 

Brother  Fisher  thereupon  put  the  motion. 

Fisher. — The  question  is  now  before  the  meeting  ; 
and  it  seems  to  me  that,  in  discussing  it,  it  would  be  in 
order  to  permit  the  expression  of  any  views  that  may 
bear  upon  the  subject  of  promulgation. 

Morton. — I  think  the  suggestion  of  Brother  Fisher  a 
good  one. 

Fisher. — Discussion  on  the  subject  of  promulgation 
is  now  in  order. 


The  Enlargement  of  the  Church   483 

Quail. — I  find  it  exceedingly  difficult  to  make  con- 
verts. I  have  tried  among  the  poor  and  illiterate,  but 
the  idea  seems  to  make  a  very  feeble  impression  upon 
them  ;  in  fact,  it  seems  to  antagonise  them. 

Valanti. — It  would  seem  to  me  that  the  proposed 
printing  of  the  reports  for  general  circulation  would 
be  a  most  effective  method  of  spreading  our  Faith. 
It  would  be  an  educator,  preparing  the  people 
for  the  acceptance  of  the  Church  Universal.  I  favour 
it. 

Okayama. — I  am  heartily  in  favour  of  the  publication, 
and  if  it  prove  successful,  I  should  favour  its  translation 
into  the  Japanese  language  ;  for  I  am  of  the  opinion 
that  a  Universal  Church,  on  the  basis  on  which  ours  is 
built,  would  be  acceptable  to  the  people  of  Japan. 

IVinslow. — I  think  it  would  be  interesting  and  profit- 
able to  hear  more  from  Brother  Okayama. 

Fisher. — Brother  Okayama  is  asked  to  continue. 

Okayama. — My  opinions  on  this  subject  relate  princi- 
pally to  the  people  of  Japan.  I  am  firmly  of  the  opinion 
that  our  Faith  would  be  acceptable  to  the  Japanese 
people.  Various  attempts  have  been  made  to  introduce 
Christianity  among  them,  but  up  to  this  time  the 
impression  produced  has  been  far  below  the  expectation 
of  the  missionaries,  and,  I  may  say,  far  below  what  might 
have  been  expected  from  the  energy  put  forth.  Nor 
do  I  think  that  the  near  future  offers  a  brighter  outlook 
so  far  as  Christianity  is  concerned.  It  is  true  that  the 
opinions  in  Japan  on  paganism  are  undergoing  a  change. 
Contact  with  the  Western  world  has  developed  a  spirit 
of  scepticism  with  regard  to  pagan  deities  and  forms. 
The  people,  at  times,  listen  eagerly  to  Christian  mis- 
sionaries, but  when  they  are  asked  to  become  Christians 
they  turn  away.     As  a  rule  the  high  ethical  doctrines 


484  Let  There  Be  Light 

in  Christianit}-  attract  them,  but  Christian  dogmas  and 
Christian  theology  are  repellent  to  them. 

You  may  be  able  to  form  a  fair  opinion  on  this  sub- 
ject from  a  recital  of  an  incident  which  occurred  in 
Tokio.  At  a  meeting  assembled  to  listen  to  a  mis- 
sionary, after  the  missionary  had  given  the  assembled 
people  an  outline  of  his  faith,  one  among  the  auditors, 
an  elderly  man,  arose  and  said,  "  May  I  ask  you  some 
questions  ?  ' ' 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  missionary;  "  I  shall  be  glad  to 
answer. ' ' 

"  You  say,"  began  the  Japanese,  "  that  God  came 
on  earth.  Was  He  who  came  on  earth  the  God  of  the 
Christians  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  and  He  is  likewise  the  God  of  the  Japanese, 
and  of  the  people  of  the  whole  world." 

"  But  we  know  of  no  such  God  here." 

"  I  have  been  sent,"  replied  the  missionary,  "  to 
make  Him  known  to  you." 

"  What  good  can  it  do  us,"  asked  the  Japanese,  "  to 
have  Him  made  known  ?  " 

"  You  can,  by  knowing  Him  and  believing  in  Him, 
be  saved  from  eternal  suffering,  and  you  will  receive, 
besides,  eternal  life  in  Heaven." 

"  How  do  you  know  that  ?  "  asked  the  man. 

"  Because  God  said  so,"  replied  the  missionary. 

"  How  do  you  know  ?  " 

"  Because  it  is  so  recorded  in  this  Bible,"  answered 
the  mis.sionary,  holding  up  a  Bible. 

"  You  say,"  continued  the  Japanese,  "  that  the  God 
of  the  Christians  and  the  God  of  the  Japanese  came 
down  on  earth  among  a  nation  called  Jews." 

"  Yes." 

"  You  say  further  that  they  killed  Him." 


The  Enlargement  of  the  Church   4^5 

"Yes." 

"  Was  not  that  a  wicked  deed  ?  " 

"  It  was  very  wicked,"  replied  the  missionary, 

"  Did  God,  then,  want  to  die  ?  "  asked  the  Japanese. 

"  Yes,  He  wanted  to  die  in  order  to  save  you  and  me 
from  eternal  suffering." 

"  Was  He  compelled  to  die  in  order  to  save  us  ?  " 

"  He  died  to  save  us." 

"  Yes,  you  told  us  so  before,"  remarked  the  man; 
"  but  you  have  not  answered  my  question.  I  ask  it 
again  :  Was  He  compelled  to  die  in  order  to  save  us  ?  " 

"  Yes,  for  otherwise  He  would  not  have  died." 

"  And  now,"  said  the  Japanese,  addressing  himself 
to  the  audience,  "  let  us  see  what  we  are  asked  to  be- 
lieve :  We  are  asked  to  believe  that  God  came  on  earth 
to  die;  that  He  was  compelled  to  die;  that  because  the 
Jews  killed  a  god,  who  was  compelled  to  die,  they  were 
very  wicked;  that  Christians  were  told  of  these  things 
by  God,  and  as  proof  they  show  us  the  book  which  they 
call  a  Bible.  But  what  kind  of  a  god  can  that  be  who  is 
compelled  to  suffer  or  die  in  order  that  he  may  save  some 
of  the  creatures  he  has  made  ?  Would  not  such  a  god 
show  a  feebleness  of  resources  and  power  which  w^ould 
make  him  less  potent  in  governing  the  world  than  is 
our  Emperor  in  governing  Japan  ?  That  the  story  is  not 
even  ingeniously  concocted  is  evident  from  the  fact  that 
the  Jews  are  called  wicked  for  having  killed  him.  How 
could  they  have  been  wicked  if  the  god  had  to  die  ? 
Were  the  Jews  more  powerful  than  this  god  ?  Yet, 
while  these  people  discomfited  a  god,  they  were  them- 
selves impotent  against  the  nation  which  vanquished 
them.  What  absurdities,  then,  have  not  been  presented 
to  us  by  this  Christian  ! 

"  Go  elsewhere,  friend,  with  thy  tales.     Thou  and 


486  Let  There  Be  Light 

thy  fellow-Christians  are  wont  to  call  us  barbarians  and 
pagans;  but  it  seems  to  me  that  so  long  as  the  tales  that 
have  been  told  us  are  the  belief  of  Christians,  then  are 
Christians  in  truth  more  pagan  and  barbarous  than  we. ' ' 

They  who  come  to  us  with  romances  and  stories  for- 
get that  we  of  the  Orient  are  more  clever  in  concocting 
stories  and  romances  than  are  Occidentals.  Their  in- 
ventions are  clumsy  and  crude  when  compared  with 
ours.  The  art  of  story-telling  in  its  highest  perfection 
is  an  Oriental  attribute,  and  such  it  must  ever  be. 
There  is,  however,  this  difference  between  us.  We  of 
the  Orient  never  take  these  romances  seriously  to  heart. 
We  never  hate  or  kill  those  who  consider  romances 
simply  as  parables. 

On  pages  551  of  the  report  of  the  Parliament  of  Re- 
ligions, held  at  your  great  Chicago  Exposition,  will  be 
found  the  following  by  Horin  Toki,  the  representative 
of Japan  : 

"  We  Buddhists  welcome  any  who  are  earnest  after  the  truth, 
but  can  we  keep  silent  to  see  the  falsehood  disturbing  the  peace 
of  our  country?  ...  Do  you  think  it  right  for  one  to  urge 
upon  a  stranger  to  believe  what  he  does  not  like,  and  call  that 
stranger  foolish,  barbarous,  ignorant  and  obstinate,  on  account 
of  the  latter  denying  the  proposal  made  by  the  former?" 

In  the  same  report,  on  page  436,  Pung  Kwang  Yu, 
the  Chinese  representative  of  Confucianism,  says  : 

"  I  beg  to  suggest  that  such  men  be  selected  for  missionary 
work  in  China  as  shall  combine  with  their  religious  qualifica- 
tions a  proficiency  in  other  branches  of  human  knowledge, 
such  as  sociology,  philosophy,  political  economy,  natural  sci- 
ence, chemistry,  international  law,  astronomy,  geology  and 
mathematics." 

Come,  then,  and  teach  us  God  made  manifest  in  all 
these  ways,  through  His  works,  and  you  will  have  no 


The  Enlargement  of  the  Church   487 

difficulty  in  making  converts  ;  but  refrain  from  coming 
on  the  unprofitable  mission  of  trying  to  persuade  us 
to  exchange  our  clev'er  romances  for  your  clumsy 
ones. 

Japan  offers  a  great  field  for  the  promulgation  of  re- 
ligion, but  the  religion  must  be  of  a  quality  acceptable 
to  the  intelligent.  The  unintelligent  require  no  new 
legends,  for  they  have  already  plenty  of  such,  more 
suitable  to  the  Japanese  genius  than  are  foreign  legends. 
I  am  almost  sure  that  the  very  belief  which  we  have 
adopted  is  calculated  to  win  over  the  Japanese  people. 

ScJnibcrt. — My  friends  and  Co-Believers  :  The  re- 
marks of  Brother  Okayama  remind  me  of  an  experience 
of  my  own  some  eight  years  ago.  I  was  in  Yuma, 
Arizona,  and  visited  the  Indian  school  on  the  Reserva- 
tion. The  teacher  pointed  with  pride  to  the  progress 
of  the  Indian  boys  and  girls  in  education.  I  was  sur- 
prised to  see  Apache  and  Apache- Mohave  Indian  boys 
and  girls  read  and  write  and  spell  and  do  sums  in  arith- 
metic quite  as  cleverly  as  other  children  in  the  same 
section.  Seeing  the  pictures,  "  The  Ten  Stations  of 
the  Cross, ' '  displayed  on  the  walls  of  the  schoolroom, 
I  asked,  "  Do  you  also  teach  religion  here  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  teacher. 

"  Are  the  children  as  apt  in  this  study  as  in  others  ?  " 

"  No,  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  teach  an  Indian  child 
religion." 

"  Why  is  that  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  Because  they  seem  to  look  upon  such  things  as  are 
depicted  in  the  '  Stations  of  the  Cross  '  as  not  convinc- 
ing arguments.  They  cannot  understand  why  it  was 
necessary  for  a  great  chief  of  Heaven  to  permit  any  in- 
dignity to  be  put  upon  him." 

And  yet  the  American  Indians  were  to  a  great  extent 


488  Let  There  Be  Light 

believers  in  one  God,  or,  as  they  called  him,  "  Great 
Spirit." 

It  seems  to  me  that  a  rehgion  built  upon  legends  and 
miracles,  the  outgrowth  of  Caucasian  experiences,  will 
fail  of  acceptance  among  the  Turanians.  Equally 
would  a  similar  religion  of  Turanians  be  unacceptable 
to  the  Caucasian.  Such  a  religion,  in  order  to  be  even 
tacitly  assented  to  by  alien  races,  must  be  forced  upon 
them  by  coercion.  On  the  other  hand,  the  religion  of 
the  Universal  Church,  to  which  we  have  given  our  ad- 
herence, would,  in  my  opinion,  be  received  as  readily 
by  the  Turanian  as  by  the  Caucasian  races. 

And  now,  as  to  the  proposed  publication  of  the  re- 
ports. There  is,  in  ni}^  opinion,  nothing  more  likely  to 
promote  the  growth  of  the  Church  Univ^ersal  than  this 
very  publication.  I  have  read  the  reports  several  times, 
and  I  esteem  their  circulation  among  the  people  as  of 
primary  importance.  The}^  should  not  only  be  circu- 
lated among  our  own  people,  but  they  should  be  trans- 
lated into  foreign  languages  and  circulated  in  foreign 
countries. 

These  reports,  in  general  circulation,  will  have  the 
effect  of  stimulating  the  formation  of  many  other  organ- 
isations similar  to  the  Twentieth  Century  Club. 

Besides,  it  is  highly  probable  that  a  number  of  con- 
gregations throughout  the  land  are  already  with  us  in 
spirit.  The  advent  of  these  reports  in  the  form  of  a 
book  may  determine  such  congregations  to  adopt  our 
Faith.  For  all  these  reasons,  I  am  strongly  in  favour 
of  their  publication. 

Quail. — I  should  like  to  be  informed  by  Brother 
Cohen  how,  in  his  opinion,  our  Faith  would  be  received 
by  the  Jews. 

Cohen, — I  think  at  first  the  orthodox  and  Reform  Jews 


The  Enlargement  of  the  Church   489 

would  look  upon  our  faith,  as  I  did  at  the  start,  as  some 
form  of  idolatry.  Some  few  among  both  divisions  would 
no  doubt  join  our  Church  readily.  As  soon,  however, 
as  the  Jewish  people  could  be  made  to  understand  the 
truth  as  we  understand  it,  they  would  join  us  in  great 
numbers.  I  am  of  opinion  that  the  publication  of  the 
reports  would  hasten  on  the  good  work. 

Moore. — I  now  call  for  the  question  on  the  publication 
of  the  reports  as  proposed  by  Brother  and  Sister  Morton. 
Brother  Fisher  then  put  the  motion,  and  it  was  car- 
ried unanimously. 

Douglas. — If  Sister  Seiner  feels  disposed  to  speak,  I 
should  like  to  hear  her  on  the  subject. 

Miss  Seiner. — Beloved  Sisters  and  Beloved  Brethren  : 
I  will  confine  my  remarks  to  the  effect  which  I  believe 
our  Faith  will  have  on  women  and  children. 

As  conditions  are  to-day,  there  is  little  religion  in 
the  home.  Some  families  limit  their  home  worship  to 
grace  at  meals,  and  it  may  be  safely  said  that  many 
have  no  home  worship  at  all.  At  church,  the  minister 
preaches  a  sermon  which  frequently  is  intended  to 
prove  certain  dogmas. 

It  must  follow  that  religious  education  is  on  the 
whole  but  feeble.  This  condition  is  changed  radically 
as  soon  as  our  Faith  is  introduced.  The  morning  and 
evening  prayer,  the  daily  religious  exercises  and  lessons 
for  the  children,  as  witnessed  by  us  this  evening,  in 
this  room,  make  the  mother  the  high  priestess  of 
the  home  and  the  father  the  high  priest.  The  exercises 
and  lessons  for  the  children  will  teach  not  onl}^  the 
children  but  the  parents.  And  what  will  the  lessons 
be  ?  Will  they  be  dogmas  or  sectarian  postulates  ? 
No  !  The  child  will  first  of  all  learn  how  to  learn,  to 
unfold  and  to  develop.     It  will  learn  to  see  the  beauties 


490  Let  There  Be  Light 

ill  creation,  and  to  understand  what  beauty  stands 
for.  Children  will  learn  that  unjust  acts,  unrighteous 
thoughts,  are  stored  in  the  mind  and  inscribe  ugly  lines 
on  the  soul.  They  will  learn  that  ugly  lines  multiplied 
will  make  an  ugly  man  or  woman.  They  will  learn 
that  while  it  is  quite  easy  to  place  these  ugly  lines  on 
the  soul,  it  is  very  difficult  to  remove  them.  They 
will  learn  that  mere  faith  in  God,  together  with  bad  acts 
and  evil  thoughts,  cannot  purify  the  mind  or  remove 
the  ugly  lines  from  the  soul.  They  wall  learn  that  a 
beautiful  soul  is  infinitely  preferable  to  a  beautiful  face. 
They  will  learn  that  an  ugly  soul  makes  a  beautiful 
face  ugly,  and  that  a  beautiful  soul  makes  an  ugly  face 
beautiful.  They  will  learn  that  the  chiefest  human 
possession  is  a  beautiful  soul.  They  will  learn  that 
God  loves  the  soul  of  a  white  man,  a  black  man  or  of 
a  yellow  man  equally  ;  that  soul  beauty  is  His  crite- 
rion, and  that  it  should  be  ours.  They  will  learn  to 
reach  out  both  hands,  and  to  receive  the  poor,  the  de- 
spised and  the  outcasts  and  to  lift  them  up. 

They  will  learn  that  the  highest  human  knowledge 
is  to  be  obtained  through  the  study  of  phenomena  ; 
that  the  study  of  the  relative,  pursued  with  due  rever- 
ence, and  with  awakened  intelligence,  will  show  us  the 
way  to  find  God.  They  will  learn  that  true  human 
happiness  may  be  attained  only  by  making  other  human 
beings  happy.  They  will  learn  not  to  inflict  pain  on 
animals,  much  less  on  a  human  being.  They  will  learn 
that  while  wickedness  can  be  concealed  from  men,  it 
cannot  be  concealed  from  God  or  from  the  soul.  They 
will  learn  that  all  lines  of  colour  or  sect  or  political 
divi-sion  among  men  are  arbitrary  and  artificial. 

They  will  learn  to  fear  only  themselves,  and  to  love 
their  neighbours.     They  will  learn  that  differences  of 


The  Enlargement  of  the  Church   491 

opinion  are  to  be  adjusted  by  study,  by  reason  and  by 
arbitration.  Learning  all  this,  they  will  forget  to  be 
brutal,  intemperate,  suspicious,  hypocritical,  cruel,  de- 
ceitful, avaricious  and  uncharitable. 

What  grander,  nobler,  holier  work  can  engage  the 
attention  of  human  beings  than  the  promulgation  of  a 
faith  which  will  do  these  things  ?  This,  then,  it  is, 
which  is  to  convert  the  home  into  a  Temple  of  God. 
This,  then,  it  is  which  is  to  sanctify  the  home  and  to 
make  every  member  of  it  a  true  and  faithful  child  of 
God  and  a  blessing  to  his  neighbour. 


CHAPTER  LVI 


CRITICISM   THE   PATHWAY 


Mrs.  Morton. — I  should  like  to  hear  from  Brother 
Valanti  on  his  conversion  to  the  Faith. 

Valanti. — My  dearly  beloved  friends,  my  sisters  and 
my  brethren  in  the  true  Faith  :  It  will  be  somewhat 
difficult  for  me  to  impart  the  information  asked  by  Sis- 
ter Morton,  as  my  conversion  was  not  brought  about  by 
external  incidents,  like  those  related  by  Brother  Quail 
and  by  Brother  Bradley.  My  conversion  came  as  the 
result  of  internal  meditation. 

One  day,  not  long  after  our  last  meeting,  I  had  occa- 
sion to  go  to  Jersey  City.  On  my  return,  shortly  after 
six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  while  crossing  the  river,  my 
attention  was  attracted  to  the  great  crowd  of  working- 
men  at  the  forward  end  of  the  ferryboat.  I  went  down 
among  them.  A  considerable  number  were  Italians, 
and  the  greater  portion  of  the  remainder  seemed  to  be 
Poles  and  Bohemians.  Some  impulse  caused  me  to 
speak  to  them  about  our  Faith,  and  the  influence  it 
would  exert  in  ameliorating  their  condition.  Not  that 
I  was  then  a  believer,  but  I  was  prompted  to  speak  as 
if  I  were.  I  had  expected  to  be  misunderstood,  or  even 
to  be  scoffed  at;  but  I  was  disappointed.     I  was  not 

492 


Criticism  the  Pathway  493 

scoffed  at,  nor  was  I  misunderstood.  I  was  simply 
stared  at  in  blank  stupidity.  The  men  seemed  as  in- 
capable of  understanding  any  idea  outside  of  their  daily 
routine  labour  as  an  ox  or  an  ass  would  be.  Yes,  these 
men,  my  then  fellow-believers  in  Roman  Catholicism, 
seemed  to  be  infants  in  mind.  Yet  they  had  the  form 
of  men. 

"  Tell  me,  O  God,"  came  the  prayer  from  my  heart, 
"  tell  me,  who  has  withheld  the  penetrating,  illuminat- 
ing rays  of  intelligence  from  the  minds  of  these  men  ?  " 
And  the  answer  was  quick  and  distinct,  "  Their  kings 
and  their  priests." 

Thus  meditating,  I  reached  my  home.  "  L,et  me 
read  again, "I  thought,  "the  remarks  which  Brother 
Moore  addressed  to  me  toward  the  close  of  the  last 
meeting."     I  took  my  copy  of  the  report  and  read  : 

"  Roman  Catholicism  has  done  in  religion  what  ab- 
solutism does  in  government.  Both  reprobate  criticism, 
both  enforce  an  unquestioned  acquiescence  in  their  au- 
thority, and  both  stimulate  veneration  for  their  institu- 
tions. And  these  institutions  persist  ;  but  when  ?  Only 
when  the  law  of  development  is  arrested  or  is  forced  out 
of  existence  within  their  territory.  But  what  purpose 
do  these  institutions  serve  by  their  persistence  ?  What 
are  they  but  reactionary^  forces, —  forces  that  retard 
amelioration  ?  And  if  the  law  of  development  is  a  law 
universal,  if  it  is  God's  law,  are  not  such  institutions 
contrary  to  universal  law,  are  they  not  contrar}-  to 
God? 

"  What,  then,  is  criticism  but  protestation  against 
error  and  against  stagnation  ?  It  serves  the  same  pur- 
pose in  social  life  that  salt  serves  in  the  ocean.  What 
is,  therefore,  more  bound  to  invigorate  an  institution, 
whether  religious  or  political,  than  criticism  ? 


494  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  Yet  more  than  this  :  An  institution  may  be  said 
to  live  at  all  only  when  it  lives  through  free  criticism. 
Criticism  is  its  life,  its  soul,  its  warrant  and  its  au- 
thority for  living.  And  criticism  involves  the  un- 
hampered right  of  protestation. 

' '  Protestation  is,  therefore,  a  law  of  development,  a 
law  of  God." 

I  tried  to  generalise  on  this  theme.  I  felt  that  there 
was  a  grand  and  central  principle  involved  in  these 
statements;  but  my  mind  refused  to  lend  itself  to  my 
inclination,  and  the  words  which  I  had  read  seemed  to 
mock  my  efforts  to  comprehend  their  meaning.  Then 
my  will  assumed  a  dictatorial  sway,  and  seemed  to 
assert  in  terms  of  stern  authority:  "  You  must,  you 
shall,  master  what  is  before  you  ;  your  soul's  salvation 
depends  upon  it."  And  so  I  renewed  the  attempt, 
but  my  mind  became  confused,  and  I  could  not  think 
as  I  wished. 

Falling  on  my  knees,  I  prayed  to  God  to  give  me 
light;  and,  as  if  by  a  miracle,  God  opened  a  path,  I 
would  endeavour  to  place  the  matter  in  a  concrete  form, 
and  thence  to  work  my  way  upward  toward  the 
abstract. 

Placing  two  objects  on  the  table  before  me,  I  called 
them  the  right  and  the  left  cerebral  hemispheres. 
"  Here,"  I  said,  "  is  the  brain  of  man.  What  is  it 
that  induces  this  organ  of  consciousness  and  volition  to 
operate  in  one  man  so  wonderfully  as  to  enable  his  soul 
to  soar  up  beyond  the  outer  Heaven  and  to  comprehend 
the  celestial  music  of  universal  harmony  ?  What  is  it 
that  so  clogs  the  avenues  of  the  cerebral  hemispheres 
of  another  man  as  to  prevent  light  from  reaching  his 
soul,  and  to  leave  but  a  conventional  division  line  be- 
tween him  and  the  brute  ?  " 


Criticism  the  Pathway  495 

"  It  is  education,"  was  the  answer.  What  is  educa- 
tion ?  And  it  seemed  to  me  that  education  was  the  re- 
ception of  outward  ideas  and  the  adjustment  of  them  in 
the  mind  concomitantly  with  the  ideas  already  there. 
Yet,  if  that  were  a  true  definition,  it  did  not  answer  my 
question,  did  not  solve  my  problem  ;  I  must  continue 
my  search. 

Every  one  of  the  men  who  composed  the  group  on  the 
ferryboat  receives  outward  ideas,  and  adjusts  them  in 
the  mind  concomitantly  with  the  ideas  already  there  ; 
hence  receives  education.  How,  then,  is  the  great 
difference  between  them  and  the  educated  to  be  ac- 
counted for  ?  And  the  answer  came  suddenly  and  with 
striking  force  :  The  men  I  first  spoke  of  receive  ideas 
without  any  process  of  discrimination  ;  the  educated 
receive  ideas  only  after  thorough  discrimination.  The 
former  accept  and  assimilate  ideas  without  any  process 
of  criticism  ;  the  latter  never  accept  any  idea  without 
criticism. 

Criticism,  then,  is  the  pathway  leading  toward  intel- 
lectual enlightenment,  toward  intellectual  freedom.  If 
this  be  true,  what  must  follow  whenever  ideas  are  re- 
ceived without  criticism  ?  What  but  brutish  stupidity 
and  mental  blindness  ?  Who,  then,  was  to  blame  for  the 
darkened  animal  souls,  the  great  lack  of  intelligence  of 
the  men  I  saw  on  the  ferryboat — yes,  and  of  the  hun- 
dreds of  millions  of  others  like  them  ?  Who  but  the 
church  of  which  they  are  members.  And  was  a  church 
like  this  performing  God's  work?  "  No  !  "  I  cried. 
"  Such  a  church  is  an  agency  of  retrogression,  a  block 
in  the  road  toward  amelioration.  Such  a  church  is 
anti-Christian  and  anti-social." 

Then  I  knelt  down,  and  thanked  God  that  He  had 
opened  my  eyes;  and  I  arose  a  Believer  in  the  Church 


496 


Let  There  Be 


Light 


Universal,  the  very  same  Church  in  which  you  all  be- 
lieve.    This  is  the  storj'-  of  my  conversion. 

Bradley. — I  thank  God  that  the  Church  Universal 
was  born  in  America,  in  the  United  States. 

Moore. — I  should  be  glad  to  hear  from  Sister  Morton. 

Mrs.  Morton. — You  will  find  the  story  of  the  con- 
version of  my  dear  husband  and  myself  in  the  book, 
when  the  reports  are  printed.  At  this  time  I  will 
simply  repeat  a  few  lines  by  Wordsworth,  which  seem 
to  me  to  embody  the  ideals  of  our  Faith,  and  to  be 
appropriate  to  the  occasion  : 

"  Here  Mau  more  purely  lives,  less  oft  doth  fall, 
More  promptly  rises,  walks  with  nicer  heed, 
More  safely  rests,  dies  happier,  is  freed 

Earlier  from  cleansing  fires,  and  gains  withal 

A  brighter  crown." 


CHAPTER  LVII 


ISRAEL 


Okayama. — I  should  like  to  ask  Brother  Cohen  a 
question.  Did  Solomon  build  a  temple  in  Jerusalem  to 
the  Jehovah  who  had  commanded  that  no  graven  image 
be  made  and  worshipped  ? 

Cohen.— Yes,  so  we  read  in  the  Bible. 

Okayama.  —  Why,  then,  did  Solomon  cause  two 
golden  angels,  called  Cherubim,  to  be  placed  on  the 
Mercy-seat  above  the  Ark  in  the  Holy  of  Holies  ? 

Cohen. — I  do  not  know;  but  this  much  is  said  in  re- 
lation thereto  :  The  Cherubim,  with  faces  inclined  in 
prayerful  reverence  toward  the  Mercy-seat,  indicated 
prayer  ;  not  to  the  Cherubim,  but  to  Jehovah.  The 
faces  of  the  Cherubim,  "  one  to  another,"  and  "  their 
wings  spread  out  on  high,"  covering  the  Mercy-seat, 
were,  no  doubt,  symbols  involving  some  hidden  mean- 
ing; but  what  they  were  intended  to  signif}^  I  am 
unable  to  tell. 

Okayama.- — Can  you  tell.  Brother  Quail  ? 

Quail. — No,  but  I  will  venture  this  as  my  interpre- 
tation of  the  symbol  :  The  two  Cherubim,  no  doubt, 
represented  two  forces,  each  of  which  was  to  meditate 
on  Mercy  and  to  find  God  ;  and,  under  the  shelter  of 
the  outstretched  wings,  under  the  spiritual  power  of 

3- 

497 


49^  Let  There  Be  Light 

these  two  forces,  were  to  be  gathered  all  the  nations  of 
the  world. 

These  two  forces,  it  seems  to  me,  were  Israel,  the 
spiritual  force,  and  Criticism,  the  intellectual  force. 

Okayavia. — A  beautiful  S3'mbol,  and  an  interesting 
interpretation;  but  I  fail  to  perceive  its  application,  at 
least  so  far  as  the  Jews  are  concerned.  I  have  learned 
from  the  Bible  that  Israel  was  at  one  time  a  spiritual 
factor  ;  but  is  not  Israel  dead  ?  Did  not  this  people  die 
some  twenty  centuries  ago  ? 

Quail. — The  Jews  as  a  political  body  ceased  to  exist 
twenty  centuries  ago  ;  but  Israel,  as  a  spiritual  force, 
has  not  ceased  to  exist,  will  never  cease  to  exist. 

Okayavia. —  Was  Israel  selected  by  God  and  pre- 
destined for  this  high  accomplishment,  this  exalted 
mission  ? 

Quail. — Had  j'ou  asked  me  that  question  before  the 
light  of  our  Faith  entered  my  soul,  I  should  have  an- 
swered you  in  the  affirmative.  But  with  the  new  light 
which  I  have  received,  I  answer,  no.  I  no  longer  be- 
lieve that  God  elects  and  predestines  ;  for,  by  so  doing, 
God  could  not  be  Absolute  Justice,  which  I  now  believe 
Him  to  be. 

Okayama. — Will  you  please  explain  more  fully  what 
you  wish  to  convey  ? 

Quail. — I  will  try  my  best  to  do  so.  From  a  hasty 
reading  of  Scripture,  we  may  erroneously  infer  that 
Abraham  was  the  elect  of  God,  and  that  Abraham's 
descendants  were  predestined  for  spiritual  exaltation. 
A  more  critical  reading  will,  however,  show  that  Abra- 
ham, with  earnestness  of  mind  and  soul,  sought  God 
and  thus  found  Him.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the 
Jews,  who,  so  long  as  they  continued  to  search  for  God 
with  singleness  of  purpose,  deserved  the  title  Israel. 


Israel  499 

When,  however,  they  turned  from  this  course,  and  de- 
serted God  by  lapsing  into  idolatry,  they  no  longer 
merited  that  designation. 

Okayama. — According  to  your  definition,  then,  Israel 
does  not  mean  Jew,  but  means  rather  ' '  a  searcher  after 
God,"  does  it  not  ? 

Quail. — Yes,  and  more  than  that;  for  it  likewise 
means  "  a  fighter  for  God,"  one  who,  finding  the  path, 
strives  with  all  his  soul  to  show  this  path  to  others. 

Okayama. — Ah,  yes,  I  see  now  !  If  my  people,  the 
Japanese,  should  strive  as  you  say,  and,  finding  God, 
should  strive  still  further  to  lead  other  nations  to  God, 
they  would  then  be  Israel.     Is  that  what  you  mean  ? 

Quail. — Yes,  that  is  precisely  what  I  mean. 

Okayama. — This  seems  certainly  more  in  accord  with 
justice  than  does  the  theory  of  election  and  predestina- 
tion. 

Quail. — It  not  only  seems  so,  but  is  so.  Every  indi- 
vidual sane  in  mind,  and  therefore  free  to  search  after 
God,  who,  finding  Him,  brings  others  to  God,  is  en- 
titled to  be  called  Israel  ;  and  the  same  is  true  of 
nations. 

Okayama. — In  the  beginning  of  our  remarks,  you 
spoke  of  two  forces,  the  spiritual  and  the  intellectual ; 
but  in  your  conclusion  I  observe  you  omit  mention  of 
the  intellectual. 

Quail. — Your  observations  are  correct.  Originally 
the  spiritual  and  the  intellectual  forces  were  distinct 
and  separate  ;  in  the  Church  Universal  these  two  forces 
are  united,  and  become  inseparably  one  force. 

Okayama. — The  intellectual  force  will  become  re- 
ligious ? 

Quail. — Yes,  and  the  religious  force  will  become 
intellectual. 


CHAPTER  LVIII 


THE   PEACE   OF  GOD 


M 


RS.  BRADLEY  was  called  upon,  and  arose. 
Mrs.  Bradley. — My  dear  friends:  I  am  sorry  that 
I  am  not  able  to  make  a  speech,  but  whatever  is  on  my 
mind  I  will  say. 

Ever  since  I  have  been  converted,  I  feel  that  I  am 
living  in  a  different  world.  Every  object  has  become 
to  me  a  sign  and  a  witness  of  God.  Every  human  be- 
ing seems  now  to  be  a  fellow-soul,  a  neighbour  and  a 
spiritual  kin.  I  seem  to  feel  the  suffering  of  any 
strange  child  as  if  it  were  my  own,  and  there  is  a  great 
desire  within  rae  to  be  of  service  to  my  fellow-souls  and 
to  remove  suffering. 

I  see  the  angels  of  God  around  me  wherever  I  turn, 
wherever  I  am  and  at  all  times,  and  these  angels  are 
God's  laws.  They  teach  me,  they  guide  me  and  they 
direct  me.  But  as  yet  I  cannot  hear  them  or  see  them 
as  clearly  and  distinctly  as  I  should  like.  My  constant 
prayer  to  God  is  that  He  give  me  light,  ever  more 
light,  in  order  that  I  may  be  able  to  be  of  greater  ser- 
vice to  my  fellow-souls.  The  peace  of  God  now  over- 
shadows me,  and  I  feel  a  spiritual  joy  in  believing  that 
I  dwell  here  and  forever  in  the  Holy  Temple  of  God. 

500 


The  Peace  of  God  501 

For  all  these  blessings,  I  am  forever  indebted  to  my 
dear  husband,  to  the  Church  Universal  and  to  my 
children.  I  saw  the  wonderful  effect  our  Faith  had 
upon  my  children  ;  I  saw  that  as  our  Faith  entered 
their  young  minds  and  sank  deep  into  their  souls,  there 
began  to  shoot  forth  from  them  the  spiritual  rays  of  in- 
telligence. The  pruning  shear  of  knowledge  quickly 
cut  away  the  dead  branches  of  error,  and,  like  an  in- 
vigorated plant,  relieved  of  decajang  obstructions,  they 
began  to  thrive  and  to  blossom.  I  saw  that  they  were 
on  the  road  to  spiritual  and  intellectual  awakening  ; 
and  when  I  saw  all  this,  I  became  converted. 

I  pray  with  all  my  heart  and  with  all  my  soul  that 
God  ma}^  enlighten  all  the  people,  and  that  all  the 
people  may  soon  accept  our  Faith,  and  that  the  whole 
world  shall  become  as  one  family,  believers  in  the 
Church  Universal.  Ma)-  God  ever  keep  us  steadfast 
in  the  Faith  ;  and  in  the  name  of  the  One  and  only 
God,  and  in  remembrance  of  Christ  the  Saviour,  the  re- 
generator, the  uplifter,  let  us  proclaim  that  we  are  ever 
Steadfast. 

"  Steadfast  !  "  was  the  response  by  all. 

Mrs.  Eldridge. — My  dear  friends  and  neighbours  : 
Like  Sister  Bradley,  I  feel  now,  since  my  conversion, 
that  the  Peace  of  God  has  entered  my  soul,  and  that  a 
faith  sure  and  firm  and  clear  has  come  to  me  instead  of 
the  doubt  and  uncertainty  of  the  past. 

But  O  ni)^  friends,  this  peace  is  disturbed  by  great 
fears.  I  fear  much:  I  fear  myself.  The  selfishness, 
the  narrowaiess,  the  vanity  and  the  sinfulness  of  my 
past  life  may  be  obliterated  by  the  new,  the  grander, 
the  nobler  life  which  should  follow  obedience  to  the  New 
Faith.  In  this  I  have  perfect  confidence;  but  I  fear  the 
future, — I  fear  myself,    I  fear  that  I  am  too  feeble,  too 


502  Let  There  Be  Light 

weak,  and  I  fear  that  my  weakness  may  prevent  me 
from  living  up  to  the  standard  which  our  Faith  has  set 
before  me.     How,  then,  may  my  fear  be  removed  ? 

I  therefore  ask  your  prayers  in  ray  behalf.  Pray  for 
me  and  with  me,  O  my  friends;  pray  that  I  may  be  saved 
from  my  greatest  enemy,  that  I  may  be  saved  from 
myself.     O  God,  help  me  to  pray. 

"  The  prayers  I  make  will  Iheu  be  sweet  indeed 
If  Thou  the  Spirit  give  by  which  I  pray  : 
My  unassisted  heart  is  barren  claj-, 
Which  of  its  native  self  can  nothing  feed; 
Of  good  and  pious  works  Thou  art  the  seed, 
Which  quickens  only  where  Thou  say  'st  it  may  ; 
Unless  Thou  show  to  us  Thine  own  true  way. 
No  one  can  find  it  ;  Father  !  Thoia  must  lead. 
Do  Thou,  then,  breathe  these  thoughts  into  my  mind." 

The  Believers  then  knelt  in  silent  prayer. 

Douglas. — I,  too,  my  friends,  ask  your  prayers  ;  not 
for  myself  alone,  btit  for  my  people,  the  people  of  my 
race  and  colour.  After  I  had  received  the  Faith,  I 
made  haste  to  impart  it  to  my  friends,  to  the  coloured 
people  I  knew.  I  expected  that  our  Faith  would  be 
joyfully  accepted  by  them  ;  that  in  its  acceptance  they 
would  see  a  way  toward  spiritual  light  and  true  emanci- 
pation, but  I  was  doomed  to  bitter  disappointment. 

As  well  attempt  to  reason  with  tombstones  in  a 
cemetery  as  to  reason  with  them.  Oh,  how  deep  is  the 
gloom  in  which  their  souls  are  entombed  !  It  is  like 
the  valley  of  dry  bones  spoken  of  in  Ezekiel.  I  fear 
that  the  prison  of  ignorance  in  which  they  are  immured 
is  an  impenetrable  stronghold.  Within  this  prison 
they  are  held  in  bondage  and  slavery,  and  there  seems 
no  escape, —  no  release. 

Cohe?i. — Say  not  so,   my  friend  and  brother;  there 


The  Peace  of  God  503 

shall,  indeed,  be  an  escape  and  a  release.  The  Church 
Universal  shall  cause  a  voice  to  resound,  and  they, 
hearing  it,  shall  struggle  manfully  for  freedom,  and  the 
shackles  and  bandages  shall  fall  from  them,  and  they 
shall  be  free. 

Wmslozv. — Fellow-Believers  :  We  have  been  told  by 
previous  speakers  that  there  is  difficult}^  in  making 
converts  ;  but  why  restrict  our  primary  efforts  to  this 
direction  ? 

The  essential  difference  between  other  religious  sys- 
tems and  ours  lies  in  this: — that  while  the  others 
mainly  follow  the  ''Laissez-faire,'''  or  "Let-alone" 
policy,  our  faith  directs  that  we  strive  with  all  our 
power  to  right  wrong  in  every  department  of  social  life. 

With  this  end  in  view,  I  wish  to  recall  to  your 
minds  the  remarks  made  by  the  revered  founder  of  our 
Faith.  He  submitted  a  plan  for  the  organisation  of  the 
people  and  for  the  appointment  of  some  twenty-six 
committees. 

It  appears  to  me  that,  primarily,  all  our  energies 
should  be  exerted  in  this  direction.  Practical  results 
would  command  the  respectful  attention  of  the  people, 
and  would  largely  remove  the  difficulties  of  making 
converts.  When  once  in  successful  operation,  and  on  a 
sufficiently  large  scale,  these  committees  may  become 
the  most  potent  factors  for  amelioration  that  the  world 
has  ever  had. 

Something  of  this  kind  was  attempted  by  the  Plebeians 
of  Rome,  in  the  form  of  a  Tribune  of  the  People.  This 
office  was,  however,  performed  very  imperfectly.  To- 
day we  have  a  much  better  form  of  tribuneship  in  the 
newspapers  and  magazines;  but  these  are  incomparably 
inferior  in  value  as  a  factor  in  amelioration  to  what  the 
voice  of  the  people  would  be  in  the  form  proposed. 


504  Let  There  Be  Light 

Especially  would  such  committees  be  effective  were 
their  labours  actuated  by  the  highest  religious  motives. 

Some  persons  are  of  opinion  that  amelioration  may 
come  through  legal  enactments.  To  some  extent  this 
is  true;  but  a  power  greater  than  laws  on  statute  books 
is  that  of  thoroughly  aroused  public  opinion.  Public 
opinion  that  is  governed  by  system,  by  moderation,  by 
wisdom,  by  equit}'  and  by  utility  can  find  ample  scope 
for  real  achievement,  all  on  the  lines  laid  down  for  us 
by  our  Faith. 

And  is  there  not  room  for  this  work  ?  Let  me  touch 
upon  an  instance  in  my  own  sphere  of  experience.  I 
am  a  commercial  traveller  in  the  drug  business.  I 
have  occasion,  at  times,  to  go  over,  with  druggists, 
prescriptions  by  physicians.  Many  of  these  prescrip- 
tions are  so  poorly  written  that  they  can  be  read  only 
with  great  difficulty.  Yet  some  of  them  call  for  drugs 
which,  if  they  vary  in  the  least,  produce  a  compound 
entirely  different  from  that  prescribed.  Need  I  tell  you 
that,  in  this  respect,  the  physician  who  fails  to  write 
plainly  is  guilty  of  gross  and  sometimes  criminal  care- 
lessness ? 

Public  opinion  aroused  on  this  subject,  backed  up  by 
evidence  of  the  committees,  would  soon  prevent  this 
evil. 

Equally  guilty  —  yes,  more  so  —  are  the  vast  hordes 
of  unscrupulous  knaves  who  adulterate  food,  and  thus 
enrich  themselves  at  the  expense  of  the  means  and  the 
health  of  the  people.  And  what  of  those  knaves  who 
knowingly  provide  the  public  with  poisonous  foods, 
who  deceive  in  prices,  weights  and  measures,  or  who 
liv^e  by  sweating  the  wages  of  labour  ? 

The  wrongs  of  the  sailor, — do  they  not  deserve  atten- 
tion and  redress  ?     A  slave  at  sea,  and  food  for  the 


The  Peace  of  God 


505 


crimp  on  land,  he  lives  and  labours,  like  the  characters 
of  Dante,  in  the  region  of  the  unblessed. 

What  strange  crime  has  the  infant  committed  that  it 
should  be  made  to  suffer  through  lack  of  food  and 
through  insufficient  covering  ?  And  around  us,  every- 
where, is  there  any  lack  of  misery  and  injustice  to  be 
remedied  ?  The  people  boast  of  their  freedom,  of  their 
sovereign  right  to  rule;  but  who  in  reality  are  the 
real  rulers  ?  The  real  sovereigns, —  are  they  not  the 
bosses  ? 

And  so  we  might  continue  in  an  almost  endless  re- 
capitulation of  error  and  wrong,  until  by  the  mere 
headings  we  had  formed  a  bulky  catalogue  of  them. 
Can  we  wonder,  then,  that  poverty  and  crime  flourish 
when  the  evils  which  exist  are  permitted  to  continue 
without  hindrance  ? 

If  we  are,  indeed,  to  be  the  pioneers  of  a  new  era,  the 
pioneers  of  amelioration,  the  pioneers  of  the  Church 
Universal,  then  let  us,  as  true  soldiers,  buckle  on  the 
armour  and  unsheath  the  sword.  I,et  us  fight  the  good 
fight  with  all  our  power,  with  all  our  might  and  with 
all  our  soul,  and  we  may  rest  assured  that  God  will 
establish  our  work. 


CHAPTER   LIX 


STEADFAST ! 


Moore. — I  should  like  to  hear  from  Brother  Fisher. 

Fisher, — Dearlj'  Beloved  Fellow-Believers  :  As  we  all 
know,  it  is  the  custom  of  our  chairman  to  review  what 
has  been  said.  I  will  therefore  proceed  in  accordance 
with  that  custom. 

While  I  am  strongly  inclined  to  favour  the  views  of 
Brother  Winslow,  I  am  at  the  same  time  prompted  to 
present  some  difficulties  in  the  way:  difficulties  which 
I  hope  can  be  overcome. 

That  the  labours  of  the  committees  would  tend  to- 
ward practical  amelioration  there  can  be  no  doubt. 
But  when  ?  Only,  as  Brother  Winslow  has  told  us, 
when  "  actuated  by  the  highest  religious  motives." 
And  in  this  opinion  I  agree  with  him  ;  for  organisation 
not  thus  actuated  would  serve  to  no  good  purpose, — 
on  the  contrary,  it  would  probably  tend  to  increase 
existing  evils. 

How,  then,  will  it  be  possible  for  us  to  secure  the 
right  kind  of  membership  on  the  proposed  committees, 
unless  from  among  our  own  organisation  ?  Shall  we 
strive  to  obtain  members  from  among  adherents  of  the 
prevailing  churches  ?  Would  such  persons  be  willing 
to  engage  in  this  work  under  our  banner  when  they 

506 


Steadfast !  507 

abstain  from  doing  so  under  their  own  ?  Are  they  not 
likely  to  refuse  our  request  ?  I  think  so,  and  for  two 
reasons  :  first,  because  they  may  be  opposed  to  our 
cause  ;  second,  because  they  seem  to  be  opposed  to  the 
kind  of  work  we  have  outlined. 

Shall  we  ask  them  to  aid  in  any  effort  to  do  away  with 
boss- rule  ?  Are  they  not  likely  to  reply,  as  they  so  often 
do,  that  Christ  did  not  command  such  work  ?  I  think 
they  will  so  repl3^  and  most  likely  they  will  quote  Scrip- 
ture to  sustain  their  view.  "  Render  to  Caesar  the 
things  that  are  Caesar's,"  is  their  wall  of  excuse,  behind 
which  they  permit  themselves  the  liberty  of  inaction. 

It  is  true  that  we  might  argue  with  them.  We  could 
show  that  while  Caesar  in  Christ's  time  was  one  man,  a 
man  in  whom  was  centred  all  political  authority,  on 
the  other  hand,  in  our  day  and  in  this  country,  the 
sovereignty,  the  right  to  rule,  is  vested  in  the  American 
people.  We  could  thus  show  them  that  the  American 
people  are  now  the  Caesars,  that  each  citizen  is  a  Caesar. 
And  if  each  citizen  is  a  Caesar,  must  not  each  render 
to  the  other  that  which  he  should  ?  Do  we  then 
"  render  to  Caesar  the  things  that  are  Caesar's  "  ?  By 
refraining  from  the  initiative  work,  from  the  caucus, 
do  we  not  take  away  the  rule  from  the  rightful  Caesar  ? 
Do  we  not  thus  indirectly  turn  it  over  to  the  bosses  ? 

Judging  from  the  past,  however,  I  am  inclined  to 
think  that  they  will  pay  no  attention  to  any  argument 
that  may  be  offered  on  this  subject.  Or,  as  a  final  ex- 
cuse, they  will  be  likely  to  say  that  Church  and  State 
are,  in  this  country,  separate  institutions,  and  that  it  is 
best  to  keep- them  such. 

While  it  is  true  that  the  best  interests  of  the  people 
may  be  conserved  by  non-interference  of  the  Church  in 
matters  of  government,  yet  it  is  likewise  true  that  the 


5o8  Let  There  Be  Light 

interests  of  the  people  could  be  largely  served  by  a 
church  which  would  act  as  director,  adviser,  umpire 
and  guide  in  the  initiative  work  of  citizenship.  This 
work  can  be  done  without  interference  with  actual 
government;  and  by  thus  doing  it  we  can  "  render  to 
Caesar  the  things  that  are  Caesar's." 

Nor  can  we  expect  the  other  churches  to  aid  us  in 
efforts  toward  amelioration  of  the  social  condition.  I 
am  inclined  to  think  they  would  refuse  if  they  were 
asked.  They  would  most  likely  say  that  they  are  now 
doing  whatever  they  can  to  relieve  distress  and  poverty. 
But  are  alms-giving  and  church-going  the  end  of  Christ- 
ianity ?  So  it  would  seem;  and  in  this  respect  we  can- 
not fail  to  see  the  great  difference  between  Christian 
ministers  and  Christ.  There  has  been  perhaps  no  time 
in  the  history  of  the  world  when  there  were  more 
church-going  and  more  alms-giving  than  among  the 
Jews  in  the  time  of  Christ  ;  but  Christ  opposed  that 
narrow  system,  and  showed  by  His  work  that  He  was  a 
worker,  a  doer,  a  social  leveller,  a  social  up-builder  and 
a  social  reformer. 

Can  that  system  be  properly  denominated  charitable, 
uplifting,  civilising,  which  limits  its  efforts  to  relieving 
the  beggar,  and  which  ignores  the  palpable  and  evident 
causes  that  generate  beggars  ?  If  weighed  in  the 
balance  which  Christ  provided,  would  not  the  Christian 
churches  be  found  wanting  ? 

These,  then,  are  some  of  the  difficulties  in  the  way 
of  beginning  our  labours  by  an  attempt  at  organisation 
at  this  time.  To  overcome  these  difficulties,  I  would 
suggest  that  we  begin  our  primary  labours  by  speaking 
to  the  people  in  public  assemblies,  and  thus  inform 
them  of  the  character  and  the  scope  of  the  work  before 
us.     This  method  will  no  doubt  be  more  effectual  in 


Steadfast !  509 

gaining  converts  than  the  method  we  have  pursued  up 
to  this  time.  As  soon  as  we  have  gained  over  a  suffi- 
cient number  of  converts  we  can  then  begin  the  prac- 
tical work  in  social  amelioration.  We  shall  then  be 
more  certain  of  successful  results  than  by  any  earlier 
attempt  at  amelioration. 

But  while  the  informing  of  the  people  is  an  import- 
ant branch  of  our  work,  it  is  by  no  means  the  most 
important.  Our  attention  should  be  directed  to  a  work 
which  is  of  equal  importance,  and  more  imperatively 
necessary  at  this  time,  and  that  is  the  education  of  our- 
selves and  of  the  converts  who  come  to  us.  The  prin- 
cipal aim  of  the  Church  Universal  is  the  awakening  of 
spiritual  consciousness.  But  what  conception  can  we 
have  of  spiritual  consciousness  unless  we  are  taken  out 
of  the  darkness  which  ignorance  casts  about  the  soul  ? 
As  yet,  we  but  discern  the  shining  light  of  knowledge 
afar  off.  How  can  we  hope  to  bring  others  close  to  the 
light  when  we  are  ourselves  so  far  from  it  ? 

We  should  therefore  so  perfect  our  organisation  as  to 
provide  that  systematic  instruction  which,  when  ob- 
tained, shall  enable  us  to  see  the  more  clearly  and  to 
comprehend  the  more  certainly.  We  must,  for  the 
time  being,  become  pupils,  in  order  that  presently  we 
may  become  teachers.  It  is  true  that  the  founders  of 
other  religions,  as  a  rule,  had  no  need  of  becoming 
pupils;  but  then  those  others  were  sages  and  prophets, 
while  we  are  but  ordinary  workingmen. 

The  remarks  of  Sister  Eldridge  remind  me  of  another 
marked  difference  between  us  and  the  pioneers  of  other 
religious  systems.  All  other  systems  portraj^  their  in- 
itiators as  saints  ;  whereas  we  of  the  Church  Universal 
are  but  ordinary,  every-day  men  and  women.  Not  be- 
ing saints,  we  have  —  each  of  us  —  to  struggle,  first  of 


5IO  Let  There  Be  Light 

all,  with  ourselves.  We  see  the  high  ideal  as  a  bright 
and  shilling  light  above  us,  and  our  constant  aim  must 
be  to  approach  closer  to  that  ideal.  This  vi^ill  be  pro- 
gress, this  will  be  development. 

We  should  not  overlook  the  fact  that,  in  our  striving, 
we  must  necessarily  be  hindered  by  the  reactionary  in- 
clinations and  tendencies  which,  to  a  great  extent,  have 
been  ingrained  in  us  by  our  mode  of  thought  and  action 
prior  to  our  reception  of  the  Faith,  Only  through 
education  and  constant  struggle  with  ourselves  can  we 
hope  to  modify  this  reactionary  trend  ;  this  we  should 
ever  have  in  mind. 

While  ours  seems  to  be  a  humble  beginning,  it  need 
not  follow  that  our  labour  will  be  in  vain,  or  without 
ultimate  results  of  good.  On  the  contrary,  I  believe 
most  firmly  that  if  we  but  prove  steadfast  in  our  Faith, 
and  work  zealously  for  its  realisation,  it  will  in  the  end 
accomplish  even  more  than  we  now  believe  possible. 

Observe  : — The  twenty-six  volumes  of  the  Encyclo- 
paedia Britannica  are  supposed  to  contain  a  summary  of 
all  the  great  men  and  all  great  human  achievements 
from  the  beginning  of  the  historic  era  to  the  present 
time.  If  we  excluded  from  these  books  the  articles 
irrelevant  to  the  actual  up-building  of  civilisation,  we 
could  probably  reduce  them  in  number  to  one  half 
Yet  these  comparatively  few  up-builders  among  the 
many  thousand  millions  of  human  beings  have,  through 
their  priceless  labour,  lifted  savage  men  and  women  up 
to  the  level  of  our  present  comparatively  high  state  of 
civilisation. 

If  this  was  a  possible  achievement  for  the  few, — 
for  the  few  who  were,  in  the  main,  compelled  to 
perform  their  heroic  tasks  amid  great  trials  and  hin- 
drances,— how  much  greater  and  grander  will  not  the 


Steadfast !  511 

achievement  be  when  the  many,    the  millions,    enter 
the  field  of  noble  endeavour  ! 

When  once  this  task  shall  have  been  accomplished, — 
the  awakening  of  the  many,  of  the  millions, —  it  will 
probably  be  possible  to  fill  twenty-six  more  volumes 
with  the  recital  of  greater,  grander  achievements  per- 
formed in  one  hundred  years  than  had  been  previously 
realised  in  four  thousand. 

In  considering  the  whole  question  which  we  have  set 
before  ourselves,  ought  we  not  also  to  consider  that  it 
may  be  deemed  an  act  of  presumption  on  our  part  to 
enter  the  field  as  pioneers  of  this  great  undertaking  ? 
Would  it  not  be  more  suited  to  our  present  capacity,  to 
our  present  station,  to  follow  humbly  the  lead  of  abler 
and  better  leaders  ? 

To  which  I  reply,  "  Yes,  if  there  were  such  leaders." 
But  we  fail  to  see  them.  There  are,  indeed,  college  pro- 
fessors; but  they  are  busy  teaching  the  sons  of  wealthy 
men.  There  are  the  ministers  of  the  various  churches, 
but  they  are  busy  preparing  and  delivering  sermons  on 
dogmas  and  creeds.  And  so,  finding  no  one  to  direct 
us  in  this  work,  we  will  venture  out  and  ourselves  seek 
the  road ;  and  when  we  have  found  it  we  will  freely  ask 
our  neighbours  to  follow  us. 

May  God  help  us  in  our  endeavour! 

And  now,  my  friends,  as  the  night  is  far  advanced, 
we  should  adjourn  this  meeting,  out  of  regard  for  our 
dear  sister  and  our  dear  brother,  who  are  so  soon  to 
leave  us  on  their  journey  to  Europe. 

Schubert.— yiz.y  the  God  of  the  Universe  guard  and 
protect  them,  and  cause  them  to  return  to  us  free  from 
harm  ;  and  may  they  and  we  soon  again  be  united,  ever 
steadfast  in  our  Faith. 

"  Steadfast  !  "  was  the  response. 


CHAPTER  LX 


MUCH   CAUSE   FOR   HOPE 


THE  following  morning  I  rose  early  in  order  to  at- 
tend to  such  correspondence  as  was  necessary  be- 
fore our  departure.  I  had  finished  dictating  my  letters, 
and  was  seated  at  my  desk,  giving  final  attention  to 
one  or  two  minor  business  matters,  when  Dorothy 
entered  the  library. 

"  Are  5^ou  busy,  Joseph  ?  "  she  asked. 

' '  Not  at  all.  Is  there  something  3'ou  wish  me  to  do  ? 
If  so  we  have  plenty  of  time.  It  is  only  twenty  minutes 
after  seven,  and  the  carriage  will  not  be  here  until  nine- 
thirty." 

"  No,  I  am  all  ready." 

She  paused,  somewhat  abruptly,  and  I  looked  up  in 
surprise. 

"  What  is  it,  Dorothy?" 

For  a  moment  she  did  not  repl)^  but  bit  her  lips  as 
though  struggling  to  repress  some  inward  agitation. 
"  Well,"  she  said  at  length,  in  a  low  voice,  "  I  had 
last  night  the  most  curious  dream,  one  which  is  still 
vividly  before  my  mind,  and  it  seems  to  me  I  should 
feel  more  at  ease  if  I  could  tell  you  about  it. ' ' 

"  Please  do  so,  by  all  means,"  I  observed.     And  I 
drew  a  chair  to  my  side.     She  seated  herself. 
•    512 


Much  Cause  for  Hope  513 

"  You  know  how  strongly  I  had  been  affected  by  our 
experiences  of  the  last  few  months, ' '  she  began ;  ' '  and 
when  you  consider  my  anxiety  as  to  Uncle  Harry's 
condition,  and  the  great  shock  caused  by  the  news  of 
Ezra's  death,  together  with  the  powerful  effect  of  last 
night's  meeting,  you  can  hardly  wonder  that  all  re- 
sulted in  a  nervous  condition  which  was  perhaps  largely 
responsible  for  my  dream — or  vision,  for  I  might  almost 
call  it  such. 

"  I  dreamt,"  she  continued,  "  that  I  was  lifted  to  a 
Supernatural  Region,  far  beyond  the  clouds.  There, 
on  a  raised  platform,  were  some  men,  tall  and  sombre 
giants  ;  clothed  in  regal  vesture,  they  stood  grouped 
around  about  one  greatest  man,  who  was  seated.  He 
seemed  the  oldest  and  the  chiefest  ruler  there.  With 
crown  on  head,  and  sceptre  in  hand,  he  gave  audience 
to  petitioners  and  suppliants. 

' '  And  there  appeared  before  him  troops  and  hordes 
and  legions  and  phalanxes  of  men,  women  and  child- 
ren ;  and  they  made  obeisance,  calling  the  giants  gods, 
and  the  old  man  who  was  seated  they  called  chief  God, 

"And  each  body  of  suppliants  among  the  several 
troops  and  hordes  and  legions  and  phalanxes  hated  and 
accused  and  cursed  all  the  others  ;  and  besought  the 
special  favour  of  the  giants,  each  suppliant  for  himself 
and  for  his  own  troop,  his  own  horde,  his  own  legion  or 
his  own  phalanx  ;  and  each  sought  by  vehement  words 
and  gesticulations  to  confound  the  others  and  to  con- 
demn them  in  the  sight  of  the  supernatural  giants. 
And  the  giants  seemed  pleased  thereat,  and  they  re- 
garded some  and  favoured  them,  but  they  hated  others 
and  drove  them  headlong  from  their  presence. 

**  And  all  the  people,  even  all  the  men,  women  and 
children,  petitioned  and   supplicated  the  giants;  but 


SH  Let  There  Be  Light 

mainly  did  they  so  petition  and  supplicate  the  chief 
giant,  who  was  seated.  And  their  principal  petitions 
and  supplications  were  for  good  fortune  and  for 
miraculous  interpositions. 

"  Nevertheless,  the  chief  giant  ruled  the  people  with 
rigor,  and  the  people  feared  him. 

"  Then,  descending,  I  was  brought  to  another  Super- 
natural Region,  and  the  name  of  it  was  the  Region  of 
Terror,  Here  also  on  a  platform  was  a  man,  a  giant, 
clothed  with  regal  authority,  and  his  title  was  '  Prince 
of  Darkness,  Devil.'  And  there  crouched  before  him 
yet  greater  troops  and  hordes  and  legions  and  pha- 
lanxes of  men,  women  and  children,  than  in  the  upper 
Supernatural  Region.  And  the  Prince  of  Darkness 
ruled  them  without  pity,  without  charity  and  without 
equity.  And  when  I  saw  all  this,  a  convulsive  shud- 
dering and  a  tremor  came  over  me,  which  filled  my 
mind  with  manifold  and  concrete  fears. 

"  And  I  was  brought  to  5'et  another  region  of  rule, 
and  this  was  called  the  Domain  of  Earthly  Rule;  and 
the  rulers  here  were  four,  and  the  name  of  the  first  was 
Selfishness,  andof  the  second,  Avarice,  and  of  the  third, 
Deceit,  and  of  the  fourth,  Cruelty.  And  I  saw  that 
these  rulers  were  richly  dressed  and  feasted  ravenously, 
and  were  the  counterparts  of  the  rulers  of  the  two 
supernatural  regions,  and  they  ruled  the  people  with 
rigour.  And,  observing  closely,  I  saw  that  the  food 
of  these  rulers  was  prepared  from  the  tears,  the  sweat, 
the  flesh  and  the  blood  of  the  people. 

' '  All  the  while,  I  heard  continually  shouts  of  mad 
laughter,  cries  of  triumphant  glee  and  grunts  of  ap- 
prov^al  from  satisfied  cunning  ;  but  these  were  drowned 
by  furious  howls  of  rage  and  disappointment,  by  the 
heartrending  sobs  of  sorrow  and  of  pain. 


Much  Cause  for  Hope  515 

"  And  when  certain  among  the  multitude  began  to 
make  clamour  against  the  rulers,  there  arose  one  among 
them  who,  clothed  in  regal  vestments,  held  a  sword 
aloft,  threateningly.  This  quieted  the  multitude  for  a 
time.  Again  the  clamour  arose,  and  then  stood  up 
another  among  the  rulers,  and  he  was  clothed  in  sacer- 
dotal vestments,  and  he,  pointing  upward  and  then 
downward,  said  :  '  In  the  name  of  the  Two  Super- 
natural Regions,  I  command  you  to  cease  your  clam- 
ours.' And  when  the  multitude  heard  this,  they  were 
dumb  with  fear. 

' '  When  I  saw  all  these  things  I  marvelled  thereat, 
and  out  of  pity  I  cried  aloud. 

"  And  a  voice  spake,  and  said  :  '  Thou  doest  well  to 
cry  out  of  pity,  for  thy  cry  showeth  thou  hast  a  soul.' 

"  And  I  spake  unto  the  voice,  saying:  '  Tell  me,  what 
is  a  soul  ?  '  And  the  voice  answered,  saying  :  '  It  is  a 
spark  from  the  Primal  and  Universal  Source  of  I,ove, 
Mercy,  Beauty  and  Righteousness.' 

"And  I  said,  *  I  cannot  see  this  Source,'  and  I  wept 
because  I  could  not  see  it. 

' '  Then  said  the  voice,  '  Thou  canst  not  see  because 
of  a  scale  which  covereth  thy  right  eye,  and  because 
of  another  scale  which  covereth  thy  left  eye.  Remove 
these  scales,  and  thou  shalt  see.' 

"  And  I  tried  to  remove  the  scales,  but  I  could  not. 
And  the  voice  said:  '  Search,  strive  and  pray  for  I^ight, 
and  the  scales  shall  fall  from  thine  eyes,  and  thou  shalt 
see.' 

"  And  when  I  had  done  all  this  that  the  voice  had 
told  me,  lo!  1  did  see  ;  for  the  scales  had  fallen  from  my 
eyes.  And  "when  I  beheld  the  scales,  I  found  an  in- 
scription upon  them,  even  the  following:  '  Superstitions 
of  the  Supernatural  Regions.'     And  then  I  perceived 


5i6  Let  There  Be  Light 

that  there  were  no  Supernatural  Regions  above  and  no 
Supernatural  Regions  below.  And  I  perceived  and  saw 
all  things  in  the  world,  how  they  had  tongues,  and  did 
speak  to  me,  and  I  contemplated  them  and  communed 
with  them.  And  they  spoke  to  me  of  the  Primal 
and  Universal  Source  of  Love,  Mercy,  Beauty  and 
Righteousness,  and  then  I  knew  that  they  spoke  of 
God. 

' '  And  they  told  me  that  God  has  no  bodily  likeness, 
nor  has  He  corporeal  form,  but  He  is  Spirit. 

"  Then  came  I  to  the  earthlj^  rulers,  even  to  Selfish- 
ness, to  Avarice,  to  Deceit  and  to  Cruelty,  and  I  said 
unto  them,  '  By  what  authority  do  ye  rule  ? ' 

"  And  they,  pointing  first  upward  and  then  down- 
ward, said,  '  Our  authority  to  rule  is  given  us  by  the 
two  Supernatural  Regions.' 

"  Then  said  I,  '  Ye  surely  utter  lies,  for  there  are  no 
Supernatural  Regions.'  And  to  the  people  standing 
around  I  told  all.  And  when  the  people  heard, 
they  marvelled  much  thereat,  and  a  cry  arose  from 
among  them,  and  they  said,  each  to  his  neighbour,  '  Be- 
hold !  We  have  been  kept  in  darkness  '  ;  and  the  people 
began  to  strive  mightily  for  Light.  And  many  ten 
thousand  objects  spoke  to  them,  saying,  '  We  are  the 
handiwork  of  God;  contemplate  us  and  commune  with 
us,  and  we  will  teach  5'ou  God's  laws.  And  in  measure 
as  ye  perceive  His  laws,  the  Light  shall  enter  your 
souls  and  ye  shall  see.  Then  shall  ye  be  free  from 
servitude  forever.' 

"  And  when  the  people  had  done  all  these  things 
there  came  forth  a  sweet  voice,  and  the  voice  said  : 

"  '  Let  There  Be  Light.' 

"  And  there  was  Light. 

"  And  the  Light  took  away  the  old  rule  from  among 


Much  Cause  for  Hope  517 

the  people,  and  the  people  appointed  unto  themselves 
new  rulers  instead.  And  the  names  of  these  new  rulers 
were  Wisdom,  Equity  and  lyove. 

"  Then  were  the  people  joyful,  because  they  were  in 
harmony  with  God's  laws  ;  and  God  loved  them  and 
called  them  His  children." 

"  My  dear  Dorothy,"  I  said,  as  my  wife  concluded, 
"  your  vision  not  only  recapitulates,  figuratively,  the 
principal  phases  of  our  experiences  of  the  past  year, 
but  it  indicates,  with  prophetic  foresight,  the  outcome 
—  the  ultimate  outcome,  of  human  development." 

"  Why  do  5'ou  lay  so  much  stress  on  the  word  ulti- 
mate, Joseph?"  she  asked.  "Must  our  hope  of 
realisation  be  tempered  by  an  unqualified  ultimate  ? 
And  if  so,  will  not  our  hope  assume  that  vagueness 
which  an  unqualified  ultimate  implies  ?  " 

"  I  regret  to  admit  that  it  will,"  I  replied;  "  unless, 
indeed,  the  new  Church  Universal  is  fortunate  in  en- 
listing the  endeavour  of  great  heroic  souls  able  to  ma- 
terialise the  ideals  of  its  founders." 

"  But  you  seem  to  overlook  the  importance  of  the 
proposed  book,"  said  Dorothy.  "  Will  not  the  general 
circulation  of  the  club  meeting  reports  be  enough  ?  " 

"By  no  means,"  I  answered  ;  "for  were  the  mere 
reading  of  a  book  to  transform  opinions,  boors  could  be 
soon  converted  into  philosophers  by  simply  reading 
philosophic  books.  Another  difficulty  in  the  way  is 
this  :  The  mass  of  the  people  are  readily  moved  by 
emotional  sympathy,  and  only  the  few  are  influenced 
by  intellectual  deliberation.  The  prevailing  religious 
systems,  as  you  know,  appeal  mainl}'  to  the  easily 
aroused  emotional  S3'mpathies,  whereas  our  Faith  ap- 
peals to  the  intellect.  Judge,  then,  the  slender  chance 
of  our  Faith  in  competition  with  the  others." 


5i8  Let  There  Be  Light 

"  So  materialisation  would  seem  almost  hopeless, 
would  it  not  ?  "  she  observed,  reflectively. 

"  No;  I  should  not  agree  to  that  statement.  On  the 
contrary,  it  is  my  opinion  that  nothing  is  more  cer- 
tain to  be  accomplished  on  this  earth  than  the  general 
acceptance  of  this  very  Church  Universal,  and  almost 
in  the  form  in  which  it  has  been  put  before  us." 

"  Your  statements  seem  contradictor}^ "  said  Doro- 
thy.    "  How  do  you  reconcile  them  ?  " 

"  I  will  try  to  explain,"  I  replied.  "  And  in  order 
to  make  myself  clear,  let  me  ask  you  to  remove  from 
your  mind,  for  the  time  being,  your  present  convictions 
as  to  the  ideas  and  ideals  of  the  new  Church  Universal. 
Then  try  to  suggest  a  substitute  for  it,  one  that  in  your 
opinion  could  perform  the  same  work,  one  that  should 
serve  as  the  grand  final  outcome  of  ultimate  human 
development." 

Dorothy  reflected  for  some  moments.  "  I  can  con- 
ceive of  no  substitute,"  she  said  at  last  ;  "  none  higher, 
truer,  or  more  practical." 

"  Nor  can  I,"  I  replied.  "  And  your  conclusion  and 
mine  are  the  conclu.sions  of  many  hundred  thousand 
people  in  this  country  and  in  other  parts  of  the  world, 
and  these  among  the  most  intellectual." 

"  Then  why  not  try  to  organise  such  people,  so  as  to 
form  a  nucleus  for  the  new  Church  ?  "  Dorothy  asked. 
"  It  seems  to  me  that  this  organisation  would  make 
rapid  headway  for  the  Church  among  the  masses.  We 
were  told  at  the  club  meetings  that  the  industrial  classes 
must  seek  in  vain  for  amelioration  so  long  as  they  are 
dominated  by  the  monopol}'  of  wealth  on  the  one  hand 
and  by  the  monopoly  of  learning  on  the  other.  The 
monopoly  of  learning,  therefore,  seems,  in  this  instance, 
to  carry  with   it   the  balance  of  power.      If,  now,  a 


Much  Cause  for  Hope  519 

sufficient  number  of  the  learned  could  be  won  over  to 
the  Church  Universal,  the  balance  of  power  would  be 
transferred  to  the  mass  of  the  people,  would  it  not  ? 
Would  not  all  this  win  over  the  mass  of  the  people, 
and  with  great  rapidity  ?  " 

"  What  you  say  is  true,"  I  answered  ;  "  but  the 
difficulty  lies  in  the  great  exertion  it  would  require  to 
organise  the  first  ten  thousand,  or  even  the  first 
thousand." 

"  Is  it  not  as  possible  in  our  day  as  it  was  in  olden 
times  for  God  to  inspire  men  to  do  mighty  work  ?  "  she 
asked. 

' '  Yes,  quite  as  possible. ' ' 

"  Well,  then,"  she  continued,  "  we  are  offered  a  two- 
fold hope  for  the  future  of  the  Church  Universal  ;  one 
hope  that  it  will  be  adopted  ultimatel}^,  though  when 
we  cannot  tell,  and  the  other  that,  through  the  efforts 
of  zealous  advocates,  it  may  receive  general  accept- 
ance in  our  day." 

"  You  are  right,"  I  said. 

"  With  this  hope  in  view,  ought  we  not  to  employ 
our  endeavours  in  behalf  of  the  Church  while  we  are 
on  our  journey  ?  " 

"We  ought." 

"  Ought  we  not  also  to  arrange  for  the  translation 
and  circulation  of  the  reports  in  foreign  countries  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  And  in  all  this  is  there  not  much  cause  for  hope  ?  " 

' '  Yes,  my  dear  wife,  there  is, "  I  replied. 

"Then,"  said  Dorothy,  "let  us  therefore  hope, 
and  be  Steadfast." 

And  I  replied,  "  Steadfast." 


INDEX 


Adam,   sin    of,   194,    231,   289, 

373,  374 

Aguosticism,  339 

Agriculture,  and  the  protective 
tariff,  86  ;  as  a  factor  in  the 
developraeut  of  the  United 
States,  86,  87, 94,  95  ;  change 
in  the  world's  price-fixing 
base  for  staples  of,  106,  107, 
143,  154,  157,  158;  staples 
of,  how  aff"ected  by  Trans- 
Siberian  railway,  158 

Amelioration  of  existing  con- 
ditions,   203,    393,   395,   417, 

433-435 

American  Federation  of  La- 
bour, 12 

Apologia  Pro  Vita  Sua,  by  Car- 
dinal Newman,  354 

Aquila,  his  translation  of  the 
Bible,  327 

Art,  the  imitation  of  the  mani- 
festations of  God's  laws,  309 

Atheism,  argument  for,  190- 
196,  289-294 ;  not  feared  by 
the  churches,  368  ;  and  hy- 
pocrisy, 452 

Avesta,  The,  quoted,  450 

Baptist    Church,    The,     argu- 
ment for,  288,  289 
Beth  Hamedrash,  The,  255 
Bible,   The,  influence   of,    34, 
35  ;    miracles   in,    192,    193, 


202,  203 ;  Jewish  belief  "in, 
254  ;  compared  with  the  Ko- 
ran, Shakespeare,  etc.,  254; 
notsufiicient  for  right  living 
and  eternal  salvation,  255; 
as  authority  for  proposed 
Church  Universal,  255-257  ; 
its  inspired  portions,  270- 
272  ;  its  divisions  of  inspira- 
tion, history,  tradition  and 
parable,  272-274,  302,  326 ; 
difficulty  of  interpretation, 
due  to  defects  of  ancient 
Hebrew  language,  273,  302, 

326,  327,  333-336,  341,  342  ; 

interpretation  of  Genesis, 
314.  315,  328;  quotations 
from,  378,  3S0,  382 

Boss-rule,  ,44,  45 

Bounties,  86 

Caucus,    substitute    suggested 

for,  34 
Cause  and  Effect,  law  of,  189- 

196,  198-200 
Central  Theme,  The  true,  159, 

160;  discussed,  178-217,356 
Channing,      William     EUery, 

quoted,  354-356,  358-360 
Charity,  of  rich  and  poor,  169, 

170;   and  business,  54,  115, 

116,  167 
Cherubim  on  the  Mercy-seat, 

interpretation  of,  497,  498 


521 


522 


Let  There  Be  Light 


Christ,  condemnation  of,  dis- 
cussed, 193-196 ;  doctrine 
of  atonement  by,  discussed, 
289-291  ;  divinity  of,  436- 
439  ;  not  responsible  for  re- 
actionary element  in  Christ- 
ianity, 454 ;  teachings  of, 
458,  459 

Christianity,  practical,  116  ;  its 
evolutionary  development, 
206-211  ;  derived  from  inter- 
pretation of  the  Bible,  302, 
326  ;  how  affected  by  pro- 
posed Church  Universal, 
357 ;  idolatrous  phases  in, 
457,  458 

Church  Universal,  The,  its 
prayer,  4,  5,  465,  466 ;  pro- 
posal for,  238  ;  building  for, 
238-240  ;  altar,  239  ;  music, 
239  ;  general  and  weekly  fes- 
tivals, 240-243  ;  discussed, 
244-310;  Biblical  authority 
for,  255-257  ;  question  of  its 
symbolism,  257,  258  ;  as  an 
educator,  258-262,  367-369 ; 
results  of  its  educating,  263- 
266 ;  how  it  would  affect 
Christianity,  357  ;  example 
of  its  method,  374-384  ;  its 
foundation  in  ethics,  401- 
407  ;  its  reforming  influence, 
442,  443  ;  its  committees, 
448,  449  ;  its  House  of  As- 
sembly, 476  ;  plans  for  en- 
largement of,  481-489,  503- 
511.  5i7>  519;  its  effect  on 
women  and  children,  489, 
490 

Clarke,  James  Freeman, 
quoted,  349,  450,  451 

Cleanthes,  Hymn  of,  346 

Collectivism,  11,  91,  92,  96, 
97,  104,  105  ;  discussed,  134- 
160  ;  a  theory,  137,  138,  154 ; 
inadequate  investigation  of, 
142-146;  opposed  to  anarch- 
ism, 146  ;  inconsistent  with 
nature's  law  of  competition, 


151  ;  impossible  as  planned, 

155.  157 

Competition,  and  collectivism, 
discussed,  134-160  ;  a  law  of 
nature,  148,  149  ;  not  to  be 
done  away  with,  155  ;  to  be 
stimulated  by  other  motives 
than  pecuniary  gain,  156, 
157  ;  a  means  for  disclosing 
natural  laws  now  hidden,  266 

Coniie  and  Positivism,  by  John 
Stuart  Mill,  352,  366,  367 

Confucius  quoted,  361 

Criticism  as  a  factor  in  re- 
ligious belief,  278,  463,  495 

Dante,  458 
Debate,  value  of,  409 
Doctrine  of  Religion,  The,  hy 
Fichte,  457 

Economic  Interpretation  of 
History,  The,  by  Tborold 
Rogers,  50,  126,  127 

Encyclopcedia  B  r  it  an  nica 
quoted,  333,  335-337,  34i 

England,  cause  of  its  rapid 
rise,  84-86,  loi  ;  its  people's 
central  theme,  102,  103 

Epictetus,  quoted,  451 

Ethics,  religion  founded  on, 
394,  401-407 

Eviction,  56 

Evolution     and    Christianity, 

315 
Ezra  the  scribe,   181,  209,  210 

Faith   and    reason,    203,   311- 

313,  316,  338 
Fichte,       Johann       Gottlieb, 

quoted,  457,  458 
Fiist    Principles,  by  Herbert 

Spencer,  430,  440 
Fiske,  John,  quoted,  353 
Franchise,    The,     defects     in 

present  mode  of  exercising, 

30,  31  ;  remedies  suggested, 

"33,  34,  36,  37,  44-46 
Froebel,  452 


Index 


52. 


Generalisation,     essential     to 

successful  education,  264 
Genesis,  interpretation  of,  314, 

315,  328  r       ■     . 

Germanic  race,  debt  of  United 
States  to,  41,  42 

Gibbon,  Edward,  quoted,  456 

God,  postulating  false  attri- 
butes of,  idolatry,  213,  214  ; 
such  postulating  the  cause  of 
almost  all  sorrow  and  suffer- 
ing, 214,  215  ;  manifested  in 
His  laws,  215,  216  ;  in  divers 
ways,  223-226  ;  Jewish  con- 
ception of,  230,  231  ;  results 
of  postulating  attributes  of, 
249  ;  the  great  Spiritual  Dy- 
namo, 252  ;  need  of  study- 
ing His  laws,  253  ;  proof  of, 
267,  268 ;  personality  of,  268 ; 
the  only  entity,  268,  269 ; 
what  He  is,  275,  276;  un- 
conditioned, 276,  277  ;  how 
reached  by  prayer,  2S0-282  ; 
method  and  effect  of  study 
of  His  laws,  303  ;  we  should 
form  no  mental  image  of, 
340,  439  ;  His  command  that 
we  love  our  neighbour,  340, 
440  ;  the  absolute  principle 
of  righteousness,  401-407 

Guide  of  the  Perplexed,  by 
Maimonides,  341,  343-346, 
455 

Heber,  Reginald,  stanzas  by, 

479 

Hebrew  language,  the  ancient, 
difficulties  of  as  affecting 
correct  interpretation  of  the 
Bible,  273,  302,  333-336,  341, 
342 

Helots  and  Sudras,  76,  259 

Houses  of  Assembly,  instituted 
iu  the  time  of  Ezra  the 
scribe,  181,  209  ;  freedom  of 
discussion  in,  210,  211 

Houses  of  Study,  211 


Idolatry,  definition,  211-213  ; 
Biblical  treatment  of,  212; 
modern,  213-215  ;  the  belief 
of  minds  having  an  imper- 
fect conception  of  God,  252  ; 
any  mental  image  of  God  a 
form  of,  340,  439  ;  discussed, 
382-384,  390  ;  belief  in  un- 
tenable dogmas  a  form  of, 
414-420;  wrong  thinking  of 
God,  477,  478 

Indians,  difficulty  of  teaching 
them  religion,  487 

Industrial  and  Social  Ques- 
tion, The,  discussed,  84-108 

Infidelity,  339 

Ingersoll,  Robert  Green,  368 

Inquisition,  The,  284 

Inspiration,  the  result  of  gen- 
eralisation, 206-209;  com- 
pared with  the  conclusions 
of  science,  270-272,  34S,  349 

Institutes  of  Ecclesiastical 
History,  by   Mosheim,  456, 

457 

Intuition  the  result  of  gener- 
alisation, 206-209 

Inventions,  their  effect  on  la- 
bour, 143,  154,  158,  159 

Israel,  mission  of,  305  ;  who 
are,  497-499 


Jacob,  his  wrestling  with  the 
angel,  304 

Japan,  factory  system  in,  107  ; 
Church  Universal  iu,  483, 
486,  487 

fesus.  Life  of,  by  Ren  an,  454 

Jews,  social  injustice  practised 
against,  38;  their  condem- 
nation of  Christ,  193-196  ; 
their  mission,  204,  205  ;  their 
prophets,  intuitive  conclu- 
sions of,  208  ;  their  con- 
ception of  the  Messiah,  230, 
233.  234  ;  of  God,  230,  231  ; 
their  interpretation  of  the 
Messianic  idea,  234  ;  reform 


524 


Let  There  Be  Light 


Jews — Con  tin  ited 
movements     among,      248  ; 
their  broader  Messianic  con- 
ception, 299,  300 
Johnson,  Samuel,  quoted,  361 
Jonah,  story  of,  a  parable,  272 
Judaism,  its  evolutionary  de- 
velopment, 206-211  ;  derived 
from   interpretation   of  the 
Bible,  302,  326 
Judea,  and  the  United  States, 
compared,  34-36  ;  land  ten- 
ure in,  87,  88 

Kant,  Immanuel,  quoted,  159, 

455 
Koran,  The,  192,  193  ;  quoted, 

354,  453 

Labour,  compensation  of,  8g, 
90  ;  organisations  of,  dis- 
cussed, 1 17-128 

Labour  unions,  7-9  ;  not  in 
sympathy  with  socialism  or 
anarchism,  139,  140 

Land,  comparative  cost  of,  in 
the  United  States  and  else- 
where, 86,  87,  106,  107  ; 
tenure  of,  87,  88  ;  communal 
holding  of,  144 

Learning,  the  monopoly  of, 
carries  balance  of  power  be- 
tween capital  and  labour, 
306,  307,  392 

Linnaeus,  quoted,  354 

Longfellow,  Henry  W.,  stanzas 
by,  477 

Maimonides  quoted,  341,  343- 
346,  455 

Manufactures,  in  the  United 
States  and  England,  84,  85  ; 
in  the  Orient,  106,  107  ;  por- 
tion of  cost  of,  represented 
by  raw  material  and  labour, 

145 
Mencius,  quoted,  361 
Messiah,  The,  229  ;  Christian 

and  Jewish  conceptions  of, 


230  ;  meaning  of  the  word, 

233-235 

Messianic  Age,  The,  216,  234, 
299,  300 

Melaphysic  of  Ethics,  by 
Kant,  455 

Mill,  John  Stuart,  quoted,  120- 
122,  352,  366 

Milton,  John,  458 

Mir,  The,  of  Russia,  144 

Mohammed,  354,  453 

Mohammedanism,  206 

Monopolies,  how  affected  by 
advance  in  general  intelli- 
gence, 266 

Monotheism,  185-187,  344,  345, 

353,  357.  438,  439 
Mosheim,  Johann  Lorenzvon, 

quoted,  456,  457 
Motive  power,  free,  effects  of, 

266,  267 

National  Grange,  loi 
Nature  worship,  235-23S 
Negroes,  36,  38  ;  suggestion  of 
National  Academy  of  Music 
for,  43,  44  ;  their  condition, 
135-137,  151,152  ;  their  des- 
tiny,   203,    204 ;      and     the 
Church  Universal,  502,  503 
Newman,    Cardinal,     quoted, 
354 

Orient,  cause  of  its  decline,  84, 
85,  94  ;  transfer  of  Occi- 
dental methods  into,  106  ; 
introduction  of  factory  sys- 
tem into,  its  effect  on  labour, 
143,  154,  157 

Orie>ital  Religions,  by  Samuel 
Johnson,  361 

Patrician    and    Plebeian,    69, 

no,  292 
Pessimism,    of   the    Buddhist 

and  of  the  ascetic  Christian, 

304,  305 
Political  Economy,   by  John 
Stuart  Mill,  120,  122 


Index 


52*5' 


Polytheism,  i86,  191,  344,  345, 

437-439 
Pope,  Alexander,  stanzas  by, 

442,  460,  461 
Population,    how   affected    by 
increase   in  general  intelli- 
gence, 265 
Prayer,  its  efficacy,  280-282 
Prayers,  Jewish,  232,  233 
Presbyterian  Church,  The,  ar- 
guments  for,    181-183,   286, 
287 
Prophecy,  348-350,  360 
Prophets,  the  Jewish,  208 
Protestantism,  461,  463 


Religion,  abolition  of,  argu- 
ment for,  190-196  ;  its  evolu- 
tionary stages,  206-209,  216, 
237  ;  should  be  made  to  in- 
terest, 279  ;  present  systems 
of,  their  defects  the  cause  of 
existing  inequality  and  in- 
justice, 301,  302  ;  a  static 
force,  414-421  ;  its  lack  of 
effort  toward  general  ameli- 
oration, 434,  435  ;  its  out- 
come, 513,  517 

Renau,  Joseph  Ernest,  quoted, 

454 

Revelation,  132,  206,  220 

Rogers,  Thorold,  quoted,  50, 
126,  127 

Roman  Catholic  Church,  The, 
argument  for,  178-180;  an 
evolutionary  phase  of  Christ- 
ianity, 209,  210  ;  discussed, 
283-287,  423-428,  459,  460, 
462,  493,  495 

Roman  Empire,  History  of 
the  Decline  and  Fall  of  the, 
by  Gibbon,  456 

Rome,  debt  of  United  States 
to,  32,  33,  35  ;  socialistic  ex- 
periments in,  138  ;  deifica- 
tion of  its  emperors,  456 

Russia,  its  Trans-Siberian  rail- 
way, 158 


Sacred,  definition,  261,  346 ; 
all  things  sacred  but  sin, 
261,  262 

Science,  discussed,  246-248 ; 
definition,  270 ;  its  conclu- 
sions compared  with  in- 
spiration, 271,  272  ;  the 
interpretation  of  God's  laws, 
309 

Secular,  definition,  261,  262, 
346 

Septuagint,  The,  327,  336,  337 

Siberia,  railway  in,  connecting 
St.  Petersburg  with  Vladi- 
vostock,  its  effect  on  staples 
of  agriculture,  158 

Smith,  Adam,  quoted,  124,  125 

Social  development,  depend- 
ent upon  industrial  develop- 
ment, 84,  85 

Socialism.     See  Collectivism. 

Social  Question,  The,  dis- 
cussed, 84-108 

Spencer,  Herbert,  quoted,  344, 
430,  440,  441 

Spinoza,  quoted,  333,  334,  345, 
348,  350 

Subsidies,  86 

Supercriticism,  value  of,  294- 
296 

Symbolism,  an  evolutionary 
stage  of  religion,  209,  257, 
258 

Synthetic  Philosophy,  by  Her- 
bert Spencer,  344 

Tacitus,  quoted,  450 

Tariff,  The  protective,  86,  90, 

107 
7>«      Great     Religions,     by 

James  Freeman  Clarke,  349, 

450 
Through   Nature  to  God,  by 

John  Fiske,  353 
Tractatus,    The,   by  vSpinoza, 

333,  334,  348 

Unitarian  Church,  The,  argu- 
ments for,  184-18S 


526 


Let  There  Be  Light 


United  States,  destiny  of,  dis- 
cussed, 28-46  ;  cause  of  high 
social  status  in,  85-88,  94, 
95  ;  no  longer  world's  price- 
fixing  base  for  staples  of 
agriculture,  106,  107,  157, 
158 

Universal  Law,  102,  103,  159, 
369,  453,  454 

Universities,  graduates  from, 
cause  of  their  lack  of  suc- 
cess, 264 

Voting.     See  Franchise. 

Wages,  how  affected  by  edu- 
cation of  the  employed,  264, 
265  ;  rate  of,  throughout  the 
world,  265 


Warfare  of  Science  zvith 
Theology,  The,  by  Andrew 
Dickson  White,  332,  437 

Wealth,  unequal  distribution 
of,  50,  51  ;  concentration  of, 
its  effect  on  labour,  143, 
154  ;  monopoly  of,  306 

Wealth  of  Nations,  The,  by 
Adam  Smith,  124,  125 

White,  Andrew  Dickson, 
quoted,  332,  437,  438 

Wordsworth,  William,  lines 
by,  502 

Workingmen,  prejudices  of, 
69,  70,  75,  76,  81-83,  88,  89  ; 
as  voters,  96 ;  as  masters, 
120;  concentration  of,  129- 

131 
World's    Parliament  of  Re- 
ligions, Report  of,  486 


Economics. 


Hadley's   Economics. 

An  Account  of  the  Relations  between  Private  Property 
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Date  Due 

261  L929L  582228 


